Israel successfully launches rocket from Palmachim

Smoke trail is seen by residents of the Center; Defense Ministry: Test was long-planned; Israel Radio says launch was a ballistic missile.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN, JPOST.COM STAFF
Rocket launch smoke trail 311 (R) (photo credit: Ho New / Reuters)
Rocket launch smoke trail 311 (R)
(photo credit: 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 typeof rocket tested. But Israel Radio's military affairscorrespondent 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