Israel has launched a spy satellite. Israeli defence ministry spokesman Yarden Vatikay confirmed that the Ofek-5 spy satellite had been sent into space from Israel's launching facility at the Palmahim air force base on the coast, south of Tel Aviv.
There was no immediate confirmation that the satellite had achieved its planed orbit.
The launch gives Israel an extended capacity to monitor military developments in the region and also demonstrates its advanced missile ability.
Israeli media reports said the satellite was launched by an Israeli-made Shavit missile, related to the long-range Jericho ground-to-ground missile. Experts have been quoted as saying the Jericho missile can carry nuclear warheads, but Israeli officials have never commented on that.
Israel launched its first spy satellite, Ofek-1, in 1988, followed by Ofek-2 in 1990. The third satellite in the series was sent into orbit in 1995. The first major hitch in the spy satellite project came in 1998, when a rocket that was to launch Ofek-4 into space failed.
The military tried to extend the life of Ofek-3 by turning off its batteries, extending its life from the planned three years to about six, but eventually it burned up in the atmosphere about a year ago.
Since then, the Israeli military has been using a private Israeli satellite, Eros, for its needs. The Ofek-5, which carries sophisticated cameras and sensors developed by Israeli firms, is to orbit at a height of about 500-300 miles.
Ofek is a Hebrew word that means horizon.
AP