"Without wanting to sound too "bang and bullets"-centric, why wouldn't destroying air assets on the ground have a similar effect?"
Because you don't have to kill anyone, either in the air or on the ground and still tie up the defences and logistics. In the meantime they are flying CAP against a threat that is nonexistant. Do not dismiss the psychological effect of this on the enemy. Kinda neat. You see we do nothing, they flyaround going slowly nuts.
You have much to learn young skywalker.
MoJo (aka Yoda)
