Eyes in the Sky: Meet the IDF Unit Tracking Iran From Space
IDF’s Unit 9900 satellite operators, working from a covert underground hub, manage advanced satellites to gather vital intelligence, enabling precise strikes and target tracking in operations like the recent one against Iran. Their invisible, silent work provides Israel with a strategic edge, overcoming complex challenges to deliver real-time data from thousands of kilometers away.
In an underground control center, a team of IDF satellite operators from Unit 9900, dressed in jumpsuits, commands a sophisticated satellite orbiting silently in space, gathering critical intelligence on Israel’s adversaries. These operators, interviewed in early June 2025, play a pivotal role in missions like Operation Rising Lion, which targeted Iranian missile batteries in late June. “In every day of Operation Rising Lion, we relied on hundreds of satellite images and data collected over the past two decades,” a senior unit official revealed. Their work enables precise strikes, target identification, and post-strike assessments, providing the IDF with unmatched reach into enemy territory, thousands of kilometers from Israel’s borders.
Sgt. D., a satellite operator, debunked misconceptions about their role: “Many imagine we’re just staring at a screen, moving a camera with a joystick. In practice, operating a satellite is far more complex than any other sensor. It requires a long chain of shifts and roles. Each of us in a jumpsuit, descending to the operations floor, is a small piece of a vast intelligence puzzle.” Sgt. N. elaborated, “A satellite image is more than what meets the eye. It provides data no drone or tool can match. After capturing images, our visual intelligence analysts distill critical insights and pass them along the operational chain.” The team meticulously plans collection strategies to maximize the satellite’s potential, ensuring continuous imaging. They also monitor its “health,” with Captain E., a physicist and space research officer, noting, “The environment is challenging, with meteors and debris. We constantly send commands to check component integrity, ensuring the satellite’s longevity and reliable intelligence.”
Unlike drones, satellites operate beyond borders, invisible and silent. “It doesn’t need permission to enter restricted areas,” Captain E. explained. Before the Iran operation, Unit 9900 identified ground-to-ground and ground-to-air missile threats, securing safe paths for IAF pilots. Post-strike, their imagery confirmed destroyed targets and guided follow-up strikes. “There are limitations,” Sgt. N. admitted. “The satellite moves in a fixed orbit, not like a remote-controlled toy, but we have methods to adapt and deliver, no matter the challenge.” Social media posts on X praised the unit’s precision, with one user stating, “Israel’s space spies are untouchable, Hamas and Iran can’t hide.”
