The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word STRAFED
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
S
T
R
A
F
E
D
More clues leading to the result STRAFED
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Airily attacked" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case airily attacked = strafed.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does STRAFED mean?
STRAFED verb- To attack (ground targets) with automatic gunfire from a low-flying aircraft.
- To sidestep; to move sideways without turning (a core mechanic of most first-person shooters).