The Egyptian tactic was to use their new Soviet-made MiG-15 jets as fighter escorts, while their older jets conducted strikes against Israeli troops and vehicles.[15] In air combat, Israeli aircraft shot down between seven and nine Egyptian jets[15] with the loss of one plane,[16] but Egyptian strikes against the ground forces continued through to 1 November.[17] With the attack by the British and French air forces, President Nasser ordered his pilots to disengage to bases in Southern Egypt. The Israeli Air Force was then free to strike Egyptian ground forces at will.