Israel spy satellite launch sparks 'brief panic' as residents mistake rocket for missile: reports

A surprise rocket launch in Israel caused "brief panic" in some parts of the country, according to local news reports.

Israel launched the Ofek 19 spy satellite atop a Shavit rocket, used to loft small satellites, at 10:30 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. EDT or 1930 GMT) on Tuesday (Sept. 2) from Palmachim Airbase on the nation's Mediterranean coast, about 9 miles (15 kilometers) south of Tel Aviv. After launch, the satellite successfully entered orbit and began transmitting data, according to an update from the Israeli Ministry of Defense.

While the launch of the spy satellite was successful, it was not without a hitch. According to the Times of Israel, the unannounced launch "caused brief panic in Tel Aviv and central Israel" as residents "mistook the satellite for an interceptor missile." Israel has been engaged in a war with Gaza since a deadly 2023 terrorist attack on Israeli soil, which has seen ballistic missiles and rockets fired at the country.

The satellite will be used by Israel's military to collect visual intelligence throughout the Middle East region. Ofek 19 is designed to provide images of objects on Earth as small as 20 inches (50cm), according to the Times of Israel.

Following the launch and successful test of the satellite, Israeli defense officials took to social media to praise the mission and what it means for the nation's military capabilities.

"The launch of the 'Ofek 19' satellite yesterday is an achievement of the highest global level. Few countries possess these capabilities," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote on X. "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 every situation."

Ofek 19 is a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite, a type of craft that can provide detailed, high-resolution imagery of objects on Earth and can see down to the planet's surface through clouds and in all lighting conditions.

SAR sensors aboard satellites and other spacecraft are becoming a powerful tool not only in military surveillance but also disaster response and environmental monitoring, thanks to their ability to detect very small changes in objects' positions and work in conditions that optical satellites cannot.