How do you come to that conclusion a1bill? The journalist says he was told the 12-0 'score' by the IAF detachment commander. The fact that he doesn't quote him directly doesn't tell me otherwise. The quotes you have provided don't disprove anything he said, they just provide some additional information and (maybe) context.
There are a few well known UK/USA journalists that do the same thing
Name names, or as John Major famously said; "Put up or shut up."