Lebanon is living in a state of fear, with everyday communication devices becoming sources of anxiety. This dread stems from two days of deadly blasts targeting pagers and walkie-talkies, claiming the lives of at least 32 people and injuring over 3,250. While no group has claimed responsibility for these attacks, Hezbollah, the primary target, has accused Israel and vowed to retaliate. Although Israel has remained silent, experts and media reports point fingers towards the Jewish nation. A day after the second attack, which focused on walkie-talkies, questions continue to arise: How did Israel tamper with these devices, what are their motives, and what lies ahead? This explainer delves into the journey of these exploding devices, uncovering how pagers and walkie-talkies found their way into Hezbollah’s hands.
Following the explosion of hundreds of pagers across Lebanon on Tuesday, September 17, attention swiftly turned towards Gold Apollo, a seemingly unremarkable company based in a Taipei suburb. The exploded pagers were identified as the Gold Apollo AR924 model, advertised as a compact, waterproof device powered by a rechargeable lithium battery. A Lebanese official stated that Hezbollah had ordered 5,000 pagers from Gold Apollo, and it was these new devices that detonated. Other sources revealed that these pagers were brought into the country during the northern hemisphere spring. Analysts at Bellingcat, an open-source intelligence group, confirmed the origin of the pagers as Gold Apollo. As news spread like wildfire, journalists swarmed Gold Apollo’s office demanding answers. The company’s founder and president, Hsu Ching-Kuang, and his team offered various explanations in the ensuing hours. Initially, a sales manager told the Financial Times that Gold Apollo had been selling to Lebanon for years. However, this statement was quickly contradicted. In a press conference, Hsu Ching-Kuang offered a different explanation, claiming the pagers were manufactured by another company licensed to use their brand. He stated, “There is an agent in Europe whom we have cooperated with for three years, they are the agent for all of our products. We are not a big company, but we are a responsible company that cares about our products.” Later, a company statement clarified, “According to the agreement, we authorise BAC to use our brand trademark for product sales in specific regions, but the design and manufacturing of the products are entirely handled by BAC. We only provide brand trademark authorisation and have no involvement in the design manufacturing of this product.” Despite Gold Apollo’s attempts to distance itself from the incident, the implications of being involved in a global conflict have left Taiwan wary. In light of this, Taiwan’s Economic Affairs Ministry revealed that Gold Apollo had exported 260,000 pagers from 2022 to August 2024, with none of them exploding before. A ministry spokesperson told NBC News, “Was this batch of goods actually modified? … Did another manufacturer produce them and simply label them with the Apollo brand? This part is still under investigation by the authorities.” Taiwan’s Defense Minister Wellington Koo also confirmed that the government was closely monitoring the situation. In a statement to reporters on Thursday, Taiwan Cabinet spokesperson Lee Hui-chih reiterated that pagers exported from the island “do not have a problem with exploding.”
Hsu, the head of Gold Apollo, identified the other company involved as BAC Consulting, based in Hungary. According to Hsu, he entered into an agreement with BAC nearly three years ago. The signed contract stipulated that Gold Apollo would sell its pagers to BAC and allow BAC to use their trademark on their own products. BAC Consulting Chief Executive Cristiana Bársony-Arcidiacono confirmed her company’s collaboration with Gold Apollo. However, when questioned about the exploding pagers, she stated, “I don’t make the pagers. I am just the intermediate. I think you got it wrong.” Later, Hungary’s government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs weighed in on the matter, stating on X that BAC is a “trading intermediary, with no manufacturing or operational site in Hungary. It has one manager registered at its declared address, and the referenced devices have never been in Hungary.” Many view this statement as Hungary’s attempt to distance itself from any responsibility or involvement in the exploding pagers incident. However, a bombshell report from the New York Times revealed that BAC Consulting is part of an Israeli front.
A day after the shockwaves from the pager explosions reverberated across Lebanon, walkie-talkie detonations followed. Initial investigations revealed that the exploding devices bore the Icom brand, a Japanese company. The company promptly issued a statement, stating that they were investigating whether the exploding devices were genuine or counterfeit. In their statement, they said, “Earlier today in worldwide media, there have been reports that two-way radio devices bearing the Icom logo have exploded in Lebanon. We are currently investigating the facts surrounding this matter. We will release updated information as it becomes available on our website.” The Japanese firm further added that production of model IC-V82, the model believed to have exploded, had been discontinued in 2014. Icom, established in 1954 and based in Osaka, also noted that the images of the exploded devices lacked the hologram sticker that Icom typically applies to their devices, suggesting that the devices may not be their products. Icom is renowned for manufacturing communication receivers, sold in over 80 countries worldwide, with subsidiaries in the United States, Australia, Germany, Spain, and China. The company seems confident that the exploding devices are not theirs. An official from Icom’s US subsidiary told AP, “I can guarantee you they were not our products.” The Japanese government is closely monitoring the developments. Yoshimasa Hayashi, chief cabinet secretary, told reporters in Tokyo on Thursday morning, “We are currently gathering information.”
