The deadly simultaneous explosions triggered by hundreds of pagers carried by Hezbollah members in Lebanon have thrust a little-known Taiwanese electronics manufacturer into the global spotlight, after its damaged products were identified in images following the attack.

Taiwan-based Gold Apollo said the devices were made by a Budapest-based company with a license to use its brand.

The race to find the maker of the pagers that exploded in Lebanon has taken an unexpected turn - towards a Taiwanese company few had heard of until this morning. At least 12 people were killed and nearly 3,000 injured in Tuesday's explosions targeting members of the armed group Hezbollah, which set off a gepolitical storm in the Middle East.