Mission undone

JERUSALEM, January 23: An Israeli satellite that malfunctioned after launch and burnt up was meant to spy on Iran, Iraq and Syria, Israeli media said today.

Ma8217;ariv newspaper quoted defence sources as saying the loss of the Ofek 4, launched yesterday in a cloak of secrecy from a military site in central Israel, had cost the country US 50 million.

It was the second hi-tech failure for Israel8217;s defence establishment in less than six months following an aborted test last August of the country8217;s Arrow 2 missile-destroying missile.

Security sources said the satellite, manufactured by state-owned Israel Aircraft Industries, malfunctioned and failed to achieve orbit.