Israel launches "Ofek 19" satellite to spy on Iran and Yemen.
Arabian Sea Newspaper - Special
Arabian Gulf_Agence France-Presse: The Israeli Ministry of Defense announced on Tuesday evening that the army, in cooperation with Israel Aerospace Industries, successfully launched the "Ofek 19" satellite into space, noting that it would enhance Israel's capabilities in monitoring areas including Iran and Yemen. According to the Hebrew newspaper "Maariv," the satellite was launched using a "Shavit" launcher from a test field in the center of the country, noting that the satellite is dedicated to radar observation, with advanced capabilities, and upon entering its orbit around the Earth, it will undergo a series of tests designed to verify its safety and performance level. The Space Directorate in the Israeli Ministry of Defense also announced that it launched, in cooperation with the army and Israel Aerospace Industries, the "Ofek 19" satellite at 10:30 PM on Monday. The launch was carried out by a "Shavit" rocket from a test field in the center of the country. The new satellite is dedicated to radar observation with advanced capabilities, and after entering its orbit around the Earth, it will undergo a series of tests to ensure its safety and performance efficiency. The Space Directorate of the Israeli Defense Forces oversees the defense space program, with the participation of several bodies within the army, including Unit 9900 in the Intelligence Division and the Air Force. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) played the role of the main contractor in the development and manufacture of the satellite and the launch platform, while the Missile and Space Systems Division led the project through the "Space" factory, in cooperation with the "Elta" division, which manufactured the launch platform, and the MLAM factory, which is responsible for its development, in addition to the companies "Tomer" and "Rafael," which manufactured the rocket engines, according to "Maariv." The "Ofek" series are Israeli military satellites dedicated to espionage and intelligence gathering.
