Israel Says New Spy Satellite Already Sending Back Photos

The Israeli Defense Ministry says the Ofek 16 spy satellite, launched on July 6, has sent back its first photos after the onboard camera was activated overnight between Monday and Tuesday. A Defense Ministry statement issued on Tuesday said the camera was turned on after “a series of pre-planned tests” carried out on “all of the satellite’s systems and subsystems,” adding that further tests will be conducted before Ofek 16 becomes operational. “The images we received from the satellite are of excellent quality,” the statement quoted Amnon Harari, head of the ministry’s Space and Satellite Administration, as saying. “We will continue the orderly process of transferring the satellite to operational use, anticipating that over the years, the system will provide great intelligence to the defense establishment.” With its electro-optical observation capabilities, Ofek 16 is Israel’s seventh spy satellite. The country relies on them to keep tabs on regional enemies, most notably Iran, which it believes is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Iran also maintains troops in Syria as a way to bolster President Bashar al-Assad’s almost decade-long fight against rebels, and the Israelis are concerned that Tehran is using this presence to deliver advanced weaponry to its Lebanese proxy, Hizbullah, which has vowed to destroy the Jewish state.