Ofek-19: Has ‘Israel’ Tightened Its Grip on Regional Surveillance and Intelligence?

Since launching its first spy satellite, Ofek-1, in 1988, the Israeli Occupation has steadily sharpened its military and intelligence edge. The Ofek series, particularly Ofek-13, proved critical in recent wars, especially against Iran.

Now comes Ofek-19, blasted off from the Palmachim base north of Ashdod on September 3, 2025, a satellite touted in Tel Aviv as “the pinnacle of technological progress,” tightening Israeli Occupation’s grip on information flows across the Arab world and the wider Middle East.

Israeli outlets boast that its enhanced surveillance powers will feed directly into the ruling messianic-nationalist bloc’s drive to expand dominance over Palestine and Arab lands through superior data and technology.

But other analysts warn of deliberate exaggeration. While Ofek-19 undeniably strengthens Israeli Occupation’s lead in space-based intelligence, they argue it doesn’t translate into total control, not with regional competitors like Turkiye and Iran still pushing back.

Power and Reach

Ofek-19 comes with a Synthetic-Aperture Radar (SAR) that pierces through clouds, night, and storms to deliver crystal-clear, high-resolution images of objects on the ground.

As Yedioth Ahronoth reported on September 3, the satellite circles Earth every 90 minutes at about 500 kilometers altitude, capturing imagery sharp enough, down to 50 centimeters, to track troop movements or equipment across the Middle East. Israeli Occupation officials say it “widens and strengthens control from space over the region.”

The Huffington Post added the same day that Ofek-19 carries a cutting-edge electro-optical camera capable of photographing 15 square kilometers in a single shot, also with 50-centimeter precision, from 600 kilometers above Earth.

Its chief mission: to extend Israeli Occupation’s reach in monitoring “third-circle” nations—countries defined as immediate threats, notably Iran and Yemen. Israeli security figures hailed the satellite as delivering capabilities they’ve never had before, especially crucial now, as “Israel” is engaged in multiple wars.

According to the Times of Israel and the Huffington Post, the satellite carries radar capable of operating day and night under any weather conditions, along with a high-resolution electro-optical camera that delivers accuracy of less than half a meter for images covering up to 15 square kilometers.

To underscore its sophistication, the Israeli Occupation’s Ministry of War noted that Unit 9900, one of the army’s secret intelligence divisions, played a key role in its development. The unit specializes in geospatial and visual intelligence, mapping, and war planning.

The Israeli military intelligence directorate is composed of three principal units: Unit 8200, Unit 504, and Unit 9900. The first is responsible for surveillance and open-source intelligence collection, the second for recruiting agents across the Arab world, and Unit 9900 for directing satellites such as the Ofek series to photograph military sites, monitor unusual movements of Arab armies or armed groups, and provide live feeds and recordings directly to the army.

The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation has reported that Unit 9900 also designs combat simulations for field units and operates dozens of drones.

The Times of Israel wrote on September 3, 2025, that once Ofek-19 completes its planned testing phase and enters active service, operational control will be transferred to Unit 9900, which specializes in visual intelligence.

The unit is further divided into teams that monitor specific countries and regions, including Iran, Egypt, the Sinai Peninsula, Syria, Gaza, Jordan, and Lebanon, according to Alkhanadeq, a West Asia–focused security site, in a February 14, 2023 report.

A Crucial Role

CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries Boaz Levy underscored the significance of the newly launched Ofek-19 satellite as he announced its deployment, framing it as a decisive asset in “Israel’s” ongoing wars across multiple fronts.

He drew a direct link between the satellite’s advanced capabilities and “Israel’s” 12-day war with Iran in June 2025, noting that it allows information to be relayed from space directly to ground forces and air force pilots.

According to Yedioth Ahronoth, Levy explained that the satellite provides both optical and radar imagery, and that combining the two delivers enhanced surveillance and reconnaissance from orbit. “It means we will have sharper intelligence on hostile states such as Iran and Yemen,” he said.

Speaking to Channel 13, Levy added that the satellite “will give Israel vital eyes in space,” capable of photographing objects less than 50 centimeters wide under any conditions, day or night.

War Minister Israel Katz said the Ofek-19 satellite sends a clear message “to all our enemies, wherever they may be—we are watching you at all times and in all circumstances.”

The Jerusalem Post reported on September 3 that “this satellite was crucial during Israel’s war with Iran,” capturing nearly 12,000 images of Iranian territory that were used extensively by the War Ministry.

According to the paper, Ofek-19 gave “Israel” near real-time visibility inside Iran, significantly reducing response times for detecting missile launches and directing air operations across an area covering some 1.6 million square kilometers of Iranian territory.

“Following our unprecedented wartime successes, including over 12,000 satellite images of Iranian territory during Operation Rising Lion, we have deployed an advanced satellite equipped with cutting-edge intelligence-gathering capabilities representing the forefront of global technology,” head of the IMOD’s DDR&D, Brig. Gen. (Res.) Dr. Daniel Gold, said.

That makes Ofek-19, the successor to Ofek-13, an even more critical asset for the Israeli Occupation army at a time when talk of a second round of war against Iran is intensifying, alongside potential clashes with Hezbollah and ongoing attacks against the Palestinian Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Gaza and the Houthis in Yemen.

Tightening Control

In describing the launch of “Israel’s” Ofek-19 satellite, Yedioth Ahronoth reported on September 3 that security officials inside the command-and-control room “watched a powerful vehicle shoot into space with the goal of tightening Israel’s grip on intelligence dominance across the Middle East.”

Boaz Levy, CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries, said the launch marked an extraordinary step to strengthen “Israel’s” capabilities as a true space power, adding that advances in technology over the years would only expand those capabilities.

The Israeli Occupation has long relied on the Ofek series of spy satellites as a central pillar of its security strategy, aimed at countering regional “threats.” Analysts say the latest launch is a continuation of that approach rather than a radical shift in the regional balance of power.

Hebrew media coverage framed the mission as part of “Israel’s” effort to “expand” its intelligence footprint over Arab and Middle Eastern skies. The Ofek-19, Israeli and U.S. sources confirmed, enhances “Israel’s” ability to conduct space-based surveillance and brings the country closer to monopolizing regional intelligence from orbit.

But that dominance is not absolute. Competing countries such as Iran, Turkiye and Egypt retain counter-capabilities, including jamming, even if they lack comparable reconnaissance satellites. Beyond the region, the technological superiority of the United States, Russia, and China makes “total information control” elusive.

Analysts argue that while “Israel” has not achieved full supremacy, it has cemented its leading role in the regional intelligence race. They warn that this step could spur adversaries to accelerate development of counter-technologies, potentially setting off a new phase of escalation.

Ofek Program

Ofek is “Israel’s” long-running military satellite project, launched in 1988 to provide the Israeli Occupation with independent capabilities for espionage and intelligence gathering.

The first Ofek satellite was placed into orbit on September 19, 1988, and since then the program has become a central pillar of Israeli Occupation’s strategy to secure intelligence dominance across the region.

A timeline of launches shows the evolution of “Israel’s” capabilities. Ofek-3, launched in 1995, was the first successful reconnaissance satellite. Ofek-5 (2002) strengthened electro-optical imaging. Ofek-7 (2007) introduced high-resolution imaging technology, followed by Ofek-9 (2010), which could capture images with sub-meter precision.

On April 10, 2014, the Israeli Occupation launched Ofek-10, a spy satellite using Synthetic-Aperture Radar (SAR), enabling imaging day and night and under all weather conditions, with the ability to detect objects as small as 70 centimeters. Ofek-11 (2016) introduced improved remote-sensing technology, Ofek-16 (2020) further enhanced high-resolution optical surveillance, and Ofek-13 (2023) featured advanced radar capabilities that played a key role in “Israel’s” war on Iran by enabling rapid responses to Tehran’s missile attacks.

“Israel’s” push into space began as early as 1959, running parallel with its nuclear program. It first joined the “space club” through communications satellites and launched its early reconnaissance satellite, Ofek-1, followed later by the Amos series. The effort expanded with the establishment of the National Committee for Space Research and the Space Research Institute at Tel Aviv University, both driving development of the Ofek series.

The significance of this satellite lies in its ability to secure an intelligence edge, allowing the Israeli Occupation to continuously monitor its neighbors while serving as a military deterrent with precise information on adversary movements.

Equally important is its technological independence, giving “Israel” the ability to gather critical intelligence without relying entirely on the United States.

Israeli analysts emphasize that the Ofek program is far more than a space initiative; it is a cornerstone of “Israel’s national security strategy.”