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AS HE BRINGS HIS SU-24 out of its Immelmann, the Syrian wing commander sees the first missile rising to greet him. He dives. It misses his aircraft by inches, but homes in on his portside wingman, who abruptly ceases to exist. The resultant blast hits the Syrian wing commander’s own fuselage with an enormous push, so that his entire aircraft trembles momentarily before recovering. As the wing commander pulls out and heads to sea, he watches two more of his aircraft disappear in mammoth fireballs.

His radio lights up. “Massawi 5 to Massawi Red. Come in, Massawi Red. Commander, regarding the fish in the oil drum. The fish are shooting back! Over.”

“Roger that, Massawi 5. This is Massawi Red. All aircraft follow my lead. Back to base. Back to base. It is a Jewish trick! Over and out.”