Israel launches a satellite to expand its surveillance capability throughout Middle East

Israel Katz attends a cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, Feb. 17, 2019. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner, Pool)

JERUSALEM — Israel has launched a new spy satellite that defence officials described as a strategic cornerstone, saying it will strengthen their surveillance capacity across the Middle East in the years ahead.

Military officials and Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that the satellite, launched late Tuesday, will enhance Israel’s ability to collect images like the 12,000 gathered over Iran during a 12-day war earlier this year.

“This is also a message to all our enemies, wherever they may be - we are keeping an eye on you at all times and in all situations,” Katz said in a post on X.

In addition to monitoring Iran, Israel gains reconnaissance capabilities in other parts of the Middle East as it conducts what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called a “seven-front war,” with Israeli forces striking targets in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq throughout the 23 months of war in Gaza.

Maj. Gen. Amir Baram said the satellite, called Ofek 19, was part of a broader effort “to maintain persistent, simultaneous surveillance of any point throughout the Middle East.”

Israel’s decades-old space program has expanded its fleet with several satellite launches in recent years and is one of the few nations globally with high resolution monitoring and intelligence gathering capabilities.

The aerospace and defence industry is a pillar of Israel’s economy and the satellite’s manufacturer, Israel Aerospace Industries, builds and sells satellites, missile systems, drones and aircraft to Israel as well as countries in Europe, Asia and North America.

Israel’s military did not say from where the satellite was launched Tuesday evening.

Sam Metz And Melanie Lidman, The Associated Press