Copies exploded?

Manufacturer: Walkie-talkies last produced in 2014

According to the manufacturer, these exploded walkie-talkies were last produced in 2014.(Bild: AP)

After thousands of pagers had previously exploded in Lebanon, a second wave of explosions took place on Wednesday: Once again, hundreds of walkie-talkies blew up, killing a total of around 30 people and injuring thousands more. The manufacturer of the walkie-talkies has now spoken out and emphasized that these devices have not been produced since 2014 - they could therefore have been illegally copied.

"The IC-V82 is a handheld radio that was built and exported from 2004 to October 2014, including to the Middle East," explained the company Icom on Thursday. "Production was discontinued about ten years ago and our company no longer supplies it."

Explosion at funeral service for victims of the pager attack
In the wave of explosions on Wednesday, walkie-talkies also detonated in a southern suburb of the capital Beirut, where a funeral service was being held for members of the Lebanese Hezbollah militia killed by exploding pagers the previous day.

The militia, which is supported by Israel's arch-enemy Iran, blamed Israel for the pager and walkie-talkie explosions and threatened to retaliate. Israel did not comment.

According to media reports, the walkie-talkies that exploded on Wednesday bore the Icom logo. The Japanese company initially stated early Thursday morning: "There are reports in worldwide media that walkie-talkies with the Icom logo exploded in Lebanon." This is being investigated.

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Production of the batteries also ceased long ago
The company later published a lengthy statement announcing that the devices had not been produced for ten years. "Production of the batteries required to operate the main device has also been discontinued," it continued.

Manufacturer does not rule out illegal copies
Icom also pointed out that it had not affixed any hologram seals or similar protective measures against counterfeiting to the devices. "It is therefore not possible to determine whether the products were supplied by our company" or whether they are illegal copies of walkie-talkies.

Israel speaks of "new phase of the war"
Israel's Defense Minister Joav Galant has announced a "new phase" of the war following the detonations, which mainly killed members of Hezbollah.

"The focus is shifting to the north," said Galant according to his office. Israel's army has been fighting battles with Hezbollah there since the beginning of the Gaza war almost a year ago. There are concerns that a full-blown war against the militia could be imminent.

UN fears dramatic escalation in the Middle East
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has announced a speech for Thursday afternoon. In view of the highly dangerous situation, the UN Security Council is planning an emergency meeting. According to diplomatic circles, the most powerful body of the United Nations is to meet on Friday evening. UN Secretary-General António Guterres sees a "serious risk of a dramatic escalation" in the Middle East.