The Iraqi jets turned north and the missiles fell short of their targets.

All that has changed, particularly after a Saudi pilot was the first to down two Iraqi jets in a single sortie.

Later in the day, it said Iraqi jets raided a "large naval target," usually meaning a ship.

Some of the Iraqi jets that responded are based near Baghdad, officials said.

Others said Iraqi jets scrambled to the north to avoid combat.

The pilot said he closed to within 3,000 feet of the Iraqi jets before firing air-to-air missiles.

The Iraqi jet was soon closing in on his F-15.

But no parachute was observed, and the pilot of the Iraqi jet is not believed to have survived.

The Iraqi jet veered away about 40 miles from the border and headed back toward Baghdad.

The rebels said they could not stand up to that kind of attack, and asked to use captured Iraqi jets to fight back.