Israel Shoots Down “Suspicious Flying Object” near Dimona

17/12/2010 An Israel Air Force warplane on Thursday shot down an apparently unmanned balloon that flew over the Dimona nuclear reactor, a security official said according to Haaretz. "It definitely flew over Dimona, although we are still trying to determine what that entailed and the military is now handling the matter," the official said.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said an Israeli warplane "shot down a suspicious flying object, probably a balloon, in southern Israel". Israeli media reports said the balloon was unmanned but powered by an engine.

Airspace over the reactor, where Israel is believed to have built more than 200 nuclear warheads, is a no-fly zone.

Last October, Israeli military warplanes intercepted an Israeli ultra light aircraft that accidentally flew into the area and forced it to land at an airstrip in southern occupied Palestine.


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