Israeli authorities said Thursday that they were concerned that the unidentified flying object shot down near the southern end of the Dead Sea was headed toward Israel's nuclear reactor in Dimona, not far from the site of the shooting. The object was believed to be a balloon that entered Israeli airspace from Jordan. Flight paths over the Negev were limited following the incident. Some flights were delayed and commercial pilots received instructions to fly at low altitudes.
In October 2009, police confiscated the license of a pilot of an ultra-light aircraft after he flew too close to the nuclear facility.