Israel's Ofek 16 spy satellite, which was successfully launched in July, has transmitted images of the World Heritage Site Palmyra in Syria, which was largely destroyed by the Islamic State.
The images have now been made public by the Defense Ministry and Israel Aerospace Industries.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
According to a Defense Ministry statement, "Ofek 16 is an electro-optic surveillance satellite with advanced capabilities. The satellite is equipped with high-quality cameras developed by Elbit Systems, with the best performance stats in the market."
Video: Defense Ministry Spokesperson
Meanwhile, the Israel Space Agency has unveiled a national initiative to manufacture satellite cameras, a joint venture by the Defense Ministry and Elbit Systems.
"The national infrastructure, which was founded with an investment of hundreds of millions of shekels, includes laboratories for the manufacture of lenses and mirrors, as well as a vacuum cell that mimics conditions in space and was used to test the satellite camera before it was launched," the Defense Ministry said.
According to the ministry, after the process of in-orbit testing is complete, the Defense Ministry will hand over responsibility for the satellite's operation to Unit 9900, the IDF Intelligence Directorate's geo-intelligence unit, and Ofek-16 will be declared operational.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
