Israel launches new spy satellite

JERUSALEM – Israel launched a new spy satellite on Tuesday to gather intelligence on Iran and other regional adversaries, but later said the new device was not acting in “the expected manner.”

“The satellite entered an orbit around the globe, was contacted, and its systems are being analyzed,” the Defence Ministry said in a brief statement.

Amnon Harari, director of the ministry’s space administration, later said the satellite “isn’t acting exactly in the expected manner,” and that efforts are underway “to stabilize it,” without elaborating.

An Israeli security official said the Ofek 11 is the country’s “most sophisticated spy satellite to date.” Another official said it can transmit high resolution images in colour and relay images from nearly anywhere around the world.

The two security officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media.

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