Explosive Devices Linked to Global Supply Chain
On Thursday, Lebanon’s civil aviation agency directed all airlines departing from Beirut’s main airport to prohibit the transportation of pagers and walkie-talkies by passengers and in cargo shipments. The Lebanese Telecommunications Ministry identified the devices as Icom V82 walkie-talkies, which had ceased production over a decade ago. Osaka-based Icom confirmed it had not manufactured or shipped the model for ten years.
“There’s no way a bomb could have been integrated into one of our devices during manufacturing,” said Yoshiki Enomoto, a director at ICOM, speaking outside the company’s headquarters on Thursday. “The process is highly automated and fast-paced, so there’s no time for such things,” he told Reuters.
Enomoto also stated that Icom could not confirm whether the devices shipped to the Middle East a decade ago were involved in the explosions because the company did not use hologram stickers at the time, which are typically used to verify the authenticity of products. Icom’s website lists the V82 as one of its most counterfeited products, and the company released a statement saying, “No parts other than those specified by our company are used in a product.” The firm declined further comment when approached by NBC News.
Meanwhile, authorities around the world have been investigating how these devices ended up in the hands of Hezbollah. Bulgaria’s state news agency reported that the country is probing a possible link to a company registered there, though the firm was not named.
Images of the devices showed the name of Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Gold Apollo. The company clarified that the pagers were produced by a Hungarian firm, BAC Consulting, which was authorized to use the Gold Apollo logo in specific regions. However, Gold Apollo emphasized that “the design and manufacturing of the products are entirely handled by BAC.”
Taiwanese officials told NBC News they were still investigating whether the original Gold Apollo products were tampered with or if entirely fake versions were made. Hungarian officials also stated that BAC Consulting acted solely as a trading intermediary and that none of the pagers were physically present in Hungary.
Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono, the CEO of BAC Consulting, confirmed that her company collaborated with Gold Apollo but denied involvement in the manufacturing of the pagers. “I don’t make the pagers. I am just the intermediate. I think you got it wrong,” she said. Bársony-Arcidiacono has since not responded to further requests for comment.
A Region on the Brink
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah has entered a dangerous new phase, with both sides suffering losses and the potential for further escalation looming large. With Lebanon devastated by recent explosions and Israel shifting its focus northward, the situation remains volatile. International calls for restraint may not be enough to prevent a full-scale conflict, but both countries’ futures hang in the balance.
