40: Target: Sanandaj base!

The cannon roared, and tracer rounds drew a straight line of death in the air, accurately pouring into the engine of that f-15 'eagle' fighter jet.

Boom!

The first f-15 'eagle' fighter jet shot down since the start of the war by the Iraq Air Force appeared.

But this small victory could not turn the tide of the entire battle.

Just as the F-14 and f-15 'eagle' fighter jet, these two top-tier third-generation fighters, were locked in a fierce battle, the subsequent aircraft formations also arrived.

Lang Country Air Force's F-5E 'Tiger' and F-4 'Phantom' Fighter Jets swarmed over, a dense dark mass.

"We're here to support!"

"Kill these bastards!"

These old second-generation aircraft were practically moving targets against the f-15 'eagle' fighter jet, but the pilots showed no fear.

At the same time, dozens of MiG-21s also joined the battlefield from behind the Iraq aircraft formation.

For a time, hundreds of fighter jets completely turned into a chaotic mess over Sanandaj.

The sky was fragmented by countless contrails.

From time to time, planes trailing black smoke would fall, blooming into one deathly fireworks display after another.

However, at the edge of this chaotic air battle battlefield,

another Iraq aircraft team quietly detached from the formation.

Those were more than a dozen MiG-23 and Su-20 Fighter-Bombers, with heavy aerial bombs hanging under their bellies.

Their mission was not to dogfight with Lang Country's fighter jets.

"The hounds in the air have already started biting."

"It's our turn to work. Target, Sanandaj Base!"

The leading pilot let out a low laugh, pushed the throttle, and led the formation, bypassing the fierce air combat zone, heading straight for the ground.

Inside Sanandaj Base, the air raid sirens wailed piercingly.

Personnel from the ground air defense forces rushed to their positions.

"Enemy aircraft! It's enemy aircraft!"

"Anti-aircraft guns ready! Open fire!"

Dozens of anti-aircraft guns raised their muzzles, spitting fire wildly into the sky.

Shells exploded into black smoke clouds in the air.

However, it was useless.

The Iraq bomber formation was flying too high; the anti-aircraft guns' range simply couldn't reach them.

Those shells could only explode futilely below them, looking lively but posing no threat.

"Hahaha, are they just giving them a massage?"

The Iraq pilots laughed wildly over the radio.

They circled over the base once, confirming their respective targets.

"Begin attack!"

As the order was given, fighter-bombers suddenly pushed down their noses, diving towards the ground with a shriek.

This time, they entered the effective range of the anti-aircraft guns.

But their dive speed was too fast!

The anti-aircraft guns on the ground simply couldn't react or aim in time!

The whistling sound came from far to near.

Black bombs detached from their pylons, smashing towards the ground like hail.

The first batch of bombs landed precisely on the base's main runway.

Boom! Boom!

Violent explosions rang out one after another, and the sturdy concrete runway was blasted with huge craters, completely losing its takeoff and landing function.

When the last Iraq fighter-bomber pulled up its nose, disengaging from the dive, leaving a trail of vengeful flames behind it,

the air battle over Sanandaj also gradually drew to a close.

Lang Country's pilots were not fools.

When they saw their base swallowed by a sea of fire, and the main runway blasted into a pockmarked mess,

completely turned into a pile of ruins, everyone understood that they had no home to return to.

Morale collapsed in an instant.

"We have nowhere to land!"

The Iraq pilots seized this opportunity to launch their final attack.

Several more panicked F-5Es and F-4s were caught, trailing long black smoke as they plunged to the earth.

Finally, when the belated support aircraft from other Lang Country bases arrived,

only Lang Country fighter jets fleeing in disarray and a few lonely parachutes remained in the sky.

The Iraq Air Force, having completed their deadly strike, had already withdrawn from the battlefield in an orderly fashion and left triumphantly.

In this battle,

the Iraq Air Force achieved a brilliant victory, shooting down thirty-six Lang Country fighter jets at the cost of losing eighteen aircraft of various types,

and completely destroying the Sanandaj Air Base.

This was the greatest victory achieved by the Iraq Air Force since the start of the Iran-Iraq War.

Baghdad, inside the Presidential Palace.

The atmosphere was extremely fervent.

"Hahahaha! Well done! Absolutely brilliant!"

Saddam held the battle report that had just arrived from the front line, his face flushed with excitement.

He waved his arms vigorously, as if to vent all the ecstasy in his heart.

He turned his head and looked at the several high-ranking military officials beside him; they, too, were beaming with joy, their faces lit up.

"Eighteen to thirty-six! And they took out an important front-line base! My God! This is a miracle!"

"Our pilots are excellent! Our f-15 'eagle' fighter jet is even more excellent!"

"Mr. President, your decision is incredibly wise!"

Praise was endless.

Saddam took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the excitement in his heart, but the uncontrollable smile at the corner of his mouth betrayed his current mood.

He had waited for this day for too long.

By this point in the war, the domestic populace had begun to show war-weariness, and his approval rating was quietly declining.

He desperately needed a resounding victory to boost public morale and consolidate his position.

Now, victory had come.

And it had come in a way he never dared to dream of.

"Not enough."

Saddam slapped the battle report on the table, his eyes burning as he looked at his attendant.

"This is far from enough!"

"I want all the people of the country to know this good news! I want everyone to see our strength!"

He pointed his finger in the air, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

"Immediately! Right now! Contact the National Television Station! Contact all newspapers!"

"I want them to report this air combat victory as quickly as possible!"

"I want front-page headlines! I want rolling news flashes! I want the joyous news of victory to spread to every corner of Iraq!"

Saddam's speech was rapid and full of power.

"I want the people to know that their army is invincible! Their Mr. President is leading them to ultimate victory!"

"Yes, Mr. President!"

The attendant straightened his chest, saluted excitedly, then turned and ran out quickly.

He knew that a nationwide celebration was about to begin.

In the evening, on the streets of Baghdad.

People finished their day's work, their faces showing the unique weariness and numbness of wartime.

In the cafes along the street, several old televisions were playing dull evening news.

Suddenly.

The television screen was cut off.

An excited host, whose cheeks were flushed with emotion, appeared on the screen.

"Breaking news! Breaking news!"

The host's tone was so high it was slightly cracking.

"News just received by this station!"

"This afternoon, our brave Air Force soldiers engaged in a fierce air battle with the invading Lang Country Air Force in the western border region of Sanandaj!"

Everyone in the cafe was drawn to the screen.

"In this air battle, our army achieved an unprecedented and glorious victory!"

The host forcefully punched the air.

"Our army, at the small cost of eighteen aircraft, shot down thirty-six Lang Country aircraft in one fell swoop!"

"And successfully destroyed Lang Country's important front-line air base — Sanandaj Base!"

The host's voice was filled with an almost fanatical excitement.