Israel launches new military surveillance satellite into space

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel on Tuesday launched its latest spy satellite into space from an undisclosed site, the Defence Ministry said.

The Ofek 19 satellite was built by state-run Israel Aerospace Industries.

"Ofek 19 is a highly advanced SAR (synthetic aperture radar) observation satellite with enhanced capabilities. Upon entering Earth’s orbit, the satellite will undergo a series of designated tests to assess its integrity and performance," the ministry said in a statement.

Israel has launched Ofek observation satellites since 1988 for monitoring and intelligence gathering for the military.

(Reporting by Steven Scheer; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)