> Israel’s westward launches are driven by geography and security. As a small country surrounded by hostile neighbors, it cannot risk falling debris landing in other nations’ territories. The decision to launch over the Mediterranean has become a hallmark of Israeli engineering ingenuity.

> Despite higher fuel costs, retrograde orbits offer strategic benefits. Israel’s satellites pass over the Middle East more frequently and at varying angles than standard eastward satellites, giving unique surveillance capabilities that sometimes outweigh energy savings.