Safety experts have long identified ground operations as a major area of concern.

This might be his last chance to check on the ground operation before everything was settled, one way or another.

Israel began its air and ground operations on 29 February.

The ground operation was a nightmare of a different sort.

Despite this, he said, winter would make ground operations more difficult, especially in northern Afghanistan.

Among the robots were also the new battle machines designed for ground operations.

Pakistan, he said, seems likely to be involved only at a later stage, when ground operations inside Afghanistan were ordered.

As a result, Israel was 'dragged' into a ground operation too late.

"But in the end, we had a better ground operation and that made the difference."

Currently, space satellites serve important military roles but only in support of ground operations.