The Space Directorate reflects growing recognition that space is no longer a distant frontier, but a critical domain for modern warfare.
By Hezy Laing
The IDF has taken a bold leap into the realm of outer space, transforming what was once a peripheral capability into a strategic pillar of national defense.
Over the past two years, Israel has formalized its space operations through the creation of the IDF Space Directorate Unit, a specialized division tasked with coordinating all military activities beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
Established in early 2024 amid the war with Hamas and rising tensions with Hezbollah, the Space Directorate reflects a growing recognition that space is no longer a distant frontier—it’s a critical domain for modern warfare.
Headed by Lt. Col. N., the unit bridges the gap between the Israeli Air Force and satellite-based intelligence, ensuring seamless integration of orbital assets into ground and air operations.
One of the IDF’s most powerful tools in space is Unit 9900, which operates from a covert underground hub and manages Israel’s fleet of advanced reconnaissance satellites.
These satellites provide real-time intelligence, enabling precision strikes, threat detection, and post-strike assessments.
During Operation Rising Lion in June 2025, Unit 9900 played a pivotal role in identifying Iranian missile batteries and guiding Israeli Air Force pilots through safe corridors.
Unlike drones or aircraft, satellites offer unmatched reach and stealth.
They orbit silently, unaffected by borders or airspace restrictions, and deliver data from thousands of kilometers away.
Operators in Unit 9900 meticulously plan imaging schedules, monitor satellite health, and distill complex visual data into actionable intelligence.
As one officer put it, “Operating a satellite is far more complex than any other sensor. Each of us is a small piece of a vast intelligence puzzle”.
In 2023 Israel launched the ‘Ofek 13’ military satellite, the most advanced of its kind with unique radar observation capabilities that enable intelligence collection in any weather and conditions of visibility, thus enhancing strategic intelligence.
The satellite is comprised of groundbreaking Israeli-made technologies and is expected to drastically improve Israel’s intelligence capabilities from space for years to come.
It joins the IAI’s ‘Ofek’ series in space, that operate to strengthen the defense establishment’s intelligence superiority.
The IDF’s space ambitions go beyond surveillance.
The Arrow-3 missile defense system, co-developed with the U.S., intercepts ballistic threats in space before they reenter the atmosphere.
Its deployment in Europe, particularly Germany, underscores Israel’s growing role in defending not just its own skies, but allied airspace across the continent.
In short, the IDF’s presence in outer space is no longer theoretical—it’s operational, strategic, and expanding.
From satellite intelligence to exo-atmospheric missile defense, Israel is positioning itself as a space-savvy military power, ready to meet the challenges of 21st-century warfare.
