On September 2, once again, Israel breached another international aspect of the world, not the UN international law, but international sovereignty of the whole Middle East with its latest satellite surveillance technology.
The Israeli military-industrial complex has successfully deployed a new, all-seeing eye in the sky, its Ofek 19 satellite from Palmahim Airbase during a covert operation by the Defense Ministry, IDF, and Israel Aerospace Industries.
Yet again, the Ofek 9 launch, as much as Israel wants to present it as yet another technological advancement for the state, in its nature, it’s another act of digital colonialism that the region has been exposed to for the past 10+ years.
The Ofek 9 is an unchecked panopticon that operates with impunity above the borders of its neighbors.
Ofek 19’s Satellite Ground Station Monitoring and Control for Espionage
Just after 10:30 p.m., a bright white trail cut across the sky over central Israel, sparking curiosity and fear among civilians. While many paused to watch the moment, few knew they were witnessing a horrifying step in Israel’s spy satellite technology.
The Israel military satellite, the Ofek 19, was quietly launched westward over the Mediterranean Sea from Palmahim Airbase. The launch was coordinated by the Defense Ministry’s Space Directorate, in cooperation with the IDF and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
Unlike most countries, which launch satellites eastward to take advantage of the Earth’s rotation, Israel’s tactic uses a westward or retrograde orbit. Though more complex and fuel-demanding, this approach avoids flying over neighboring countries.
The satellite spying technology consists of a synthetic aperture radar system that takes clear, high-resolution images regardless of weather, cloud cover, or time of day, making it a breakthrough in technology.
Israel’s is renowned for its spying condusct with utter disregard to international law, especially when it comes to Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Yemen, as well as “allies” Jordan, Egypt, and the UAE.
The new satellite surveillance launch joins a line of Ofek satellites that began in 1988 with the launch of Ofek 1.
Ofek 19 will be operated by the IDF’s Unit 9900, a specialized intelligence unit responsible for space-based imagery and geospatial analysis and will be integrated into state’s broader Israel military satellite network.
Space-based Regional Espionage
Orbiting Earth every 90 minutes at 500 kilometers altitude, Ofek 19 delivers repeated coverage of key locations such as Iran, Yemen, Lebanon, and Syria, with officials confirming it will bring capabilities never before used in Israel space force intelligence.
Its real-time imaging improves Israel’s ability to monitor its neighbors and track movement, particularly in third-circle countries. During Operation Rising Lion, for instance, the IDF relied on over 12,000 Israel satellite images of the Middle East for mission planning and target validation.
Dr. Daniel Gold called the satellite a “quantum leap” for the field of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), while Defense Ministry Director General Amir Baram, said the space platform anchors Israel’s space superiority.
Due to its non-standard course, Ofek 19 orbits over countries’ zones from numerous angles, giving it the upper hand over standardized fixed-orbit reconnaissance satellites.
With Dror 1 in the not-so-distant past, and again recently with Ofek 19, Israel is committing so much to Israel’s Middle East surveillance that it is showing in full-on modern warfare style that the conflict parameter these days goes long, long beyond borders, and deep into space.
In this fluid theater, the application of satellite surveillance is not an option for defense, it’s a tool for establishing hegemony and enforcing a perpetual state of monitored submission over Middle East, especially Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iran.
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