U.S. and Israeli spy satellites likely detected preparations for Tuesday’s massive missile attack on Israel, giving Israeli forces advance warning. The strike targeted cities including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and involved hundreds of missiles launched by Iran.
Mark Quantock, a retired U.S. Army major general who oversaw intelligence for U.S. Central Command, told USA Today that mobilization of Iran’s missile units was likely detected by satellites, as such operations require the deployment of personnel and equipment to launch sites.
“These movements are visible from space,” Quantock explained. This activity may have prompted Tuesday’s White House warning of an imminent attack. He also noted that communications to Iran’s forces could have been intercepted, enabling both Israeli and U.S. forces to prepare in advance.
RAW FOOTAGE: Watch as Iranian missiles rain over the Old City in Jerusalem, a holy site for Muslims, Christians and Jews.
This is the target of the Iranian regime: everyone. pic.twitter.com/rIqUZWN3zy
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 1, 2024
Quantock added that the Israel and the Pentagon response depended on the effectiveness of missile defenses. “If missiles penetrate Israeli air defenses, causing significant loss of life or property, the U.S. could be drawn directly into the conflict,” he stated.
At the recent Defence Space 2024 conference in London, military officials from the U.S. and Europe discussed the increasing reliance on satellite surveillance in modern conflicts. U.S. Space Command General Stephen Whiting stressed the need for international collaboration in space, warning of the threats posed by cyberattacks, GPS jamming, and space debris from adversaries like China and Russia. General Whiting urged international cooperation to protect military assets in space, saying, “Space is a team sport.”
NATO and its allies have ramped up their military space initiatives in response. NATO established its first space command branch in June 2023, while France has launched projects like Toutatis, which aims to counter interference in low-Earth orbit using small satellites. Germany also increased its military space activities, with its first U.S.-Germany Space Dialogue focusing on strengthening cooperation in national security.
Japan also continues advancing its capabilities. Last Thursday, Japan’s H-2A rocket launched the IGS-Radar 8 spy satellite into orbit from the Tanegashima Space Center. The satellite, part of Japan’s Information Gathering System (IGS), provides radar-based Earth observation for intelligence and disaster monitoring. Japan plans to retire the H-2A rocket after its 50th launch and replace it with the H3 rocket, which launched for the third time in June.
🇯🇵 H-IIA LAUNCH 🇯🇵
⏰: At 5:24 UTC, the H-IIA 202 rocket from the Japanese company MHI took off successfully with the IGS-Radar 8 satellite:
🌐: It will be located in sun-synchronous solar orbit
🛰️: It will serve for national defense and monitoring of natural disasters. pic.twitter.com/gtIDYPz1Zv
— OrbitNowEN (@OrbitNowEN) September 26, 2024
