Israel expands eyes in the sky with Ofek-19: “Space allows us to make the entire Middle East accessible to the IDF”
Defense Ministry highlights new satellite as cornerstone of multi-year strategy.
Against the backdrop of the ongoing war, Israel successfully launched the Ofek-19 spy satellite on Tuesday evening, developed and manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The launch took place from central Israel.
According to the Ministry of Defense, Ofek-19 is a radar intelligence satellite with advanced capabilities. It was developed by IAI’s Missile and Space Systems Division and launched aboard a “Shavit” missile, also built by the company. The missile’s engines were produced by the government-owned defense firms Tomer and Rafael.
The launch occurred at 10:30 p.m. and was visible from many areas in central Israel. The Defense Ministry announced minutes later that once the satellite enters its designated orbit, it will undergo a series of tests to verify system integrity and performance.
Representatives from the IDF and the Space and Satellite Administration at the Directorate of Defence Research & Development (DDR&D) participated in the successful launch.
The last time Israel launched a spy satellite was in March 2023, with the deployment of Ofek-13, also manufactured by IAI. Just a month ago, IAI and the Israeli government launched Israel’s first national communications satellite, Dror-1, from Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Unlike low Earth observation satellites that orbit at about 500 km, communications satellites operate from geostationary orbit at 36,000 km.
The defense establishment expressed satisfaction with Ofek-19’s launch. According to IAI CEO Boaz Levy, the new spy satellite “will provide additional capabilities and constitute another surveillance eye that is very important to Israel at this time, while expanding its territorial coverage and strengthening its presence in the Middle East and beyond.”
Levy added: “The satellite orbits the Earth every hour and a half and responds well to ground commands. We will continue testing its systems to ensure full functionality, after which it will enter service. The satellite was built as part of multi-year defense programs following years of planning and development.”
Avi Berger, head of the Space and Satellite Administration at the DDR&D, said that Ofek-19 provides Israel with new capabilities that are critical in addressing threats up to 1,500 km away.
“Space allows us to make the entire Middle East accessible to the IDF,” Berger said. “A constellation of satellites must be created to ensure territorial coverage of the region. We are operating according to a multi-year plan anchored in budget.”
The new satellite is expected to significantly enhance Israel’s observation and intelligence-gathering capabilities in remote areas such as Iran and Yemen. During Operation Rising Lion, when the Air Force struck targets in Iran in June, the IDF relied heavily on satellite assets.
The Defense Ministry does not disclose the exact number of satellites available to military intelligence or the resolution of their imagery. Estimates place the cost of a satellite like Ofek-19 at several hundred million shekels.
“For four decades, Israel has developed strategic capabilities in designing, manufacturing, and launching satellites into space,” Berger added. “This is especially relevant for us now.”
