Israel launches new spy satellite as suspicion mounts over mystery fire at Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Ofek 16 satellite increases Israel’s ability to act against enemies
- Iran admits blaze at Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility left ‘considerable damage’ amid speculation over cause
Israel said it successfully launched a new spy satellite into space on Monday as its leaders hinted it was behind a massive fire at an Iranian nuclear site last week - potentially ratcheting up a long-running covert war.
If Israel was responsible for the fire at the heavily fortified Natanz facility, it would mark another in a series of daring strikes against Iran’s nuclear programme attributed to Israel, while also risking Iranian retaliation on either Israeli or Western targets.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the launch of the new Ofek 16 satellite, the latest addition to a fleet deployed over the past two decades.
“The success of the Ofek 16 satellite very much increases our ability to act against Israel’s enemies, near and far alike,” he told his Cabinet. “It greatly expands our ability to act on land, at sea, in the air and also in space.”
Netanyahu did not mention Iran or last week’s fire. But the Islamic Republic is Israel’s top security concern and a target of its satellite intelligence-gathering efforts.