On Wednesday, Israel launched an updated version of its Ofek spy satellite, which the Defense Ministry said would improve continuous monitoring of the region as the country prepares for a possible confrontation with Iran.
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), a state-owned company, developed the Ofek-13, the latest in a line of locally made satellites that began in 1988.
It was fired from a Shavit missile over the Mediterranean Sea, heading westward, as is standard procedure for Israel to prevent sensitive technology from falling into the hands of hostile Middle Eastern neighbors in the event of a malfunction.
A statement released by Gallant on Saturday said, “We will continue to prove that even the sky isn’t the limit for the Israeli defense establishment.” Gallant had broken ranks with Netanyahu on Friday by calling for a halt to a hotly debated plan to overhaul Israel’s judicial system. The following day, Netanyahu made public his dismissal of Gallant.
IAI CEO Boaz Levy has declared the Ofek-13 to be the most cutting-edge of its kind, with the ability to collect intelligence “in any weather and condition of visibility” thanks to its unique radar observation capabilities.
