Israel successfully launches rocket from Palmachim
LAST UPDATED: 11/02/2011 12:17
Smoke trail is seen by residents of the Center; Defense Ministry: Test was long-planned; Israel Radio says launch was a ballistic missile.
![Smoke trail from a rocket launch [illustrative]](../HttpHandlers/ShowImage.ashx?ID=177357 "Smoke trail from a rocket launch [illustrative]")
Smoke trail from a rocket launch [illustrative] Photo: Ho New / Reuters
Israel carried out a test launch of a rocket propulsion system from the Palmachim Air Force Base Wednesday morning.
The smoke trail from the launch was seen by many residents of central Israel in the morning sky.
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The Defense Ministry said that the experiment had been planned long
in advance and that it had ended successfully. No further details were
available.
A Defense Ministry official declined to comment on the type
of rocket tested. But Israel Radio's military affairs
correspondent said a ballistic missile was launched.
In 2008, a two-stage, long-range ballistic missile was successfully test-fired.
Israel is widely believed to have Jericho missiles capable of carrying
nuclear warheads, civilian "Shavit" rockets used to launch satellites
and the Arrow missile interceptor, according to Reuters.
Reuters contributed to this report