system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
How many fighters did the Rebels have during the attack on the first Death Star?

As Rogue Squadron was floating towards the Death Star, it never really made sense as to how a small group of fighters managed to blow up a space station the size of a moon. In addition, where was the rest of the Imperial Fleet during this attack?
gpt
22 X-wings and 8 Y-wings.  
They were able to blow up the station due to the combination of the Death Star's defenses being meant for large ships, not fighters, and the vulnerability of the thermal exhaust port enabling small scale weapons to start a destructive chain reaction.  
The rest of the Imperial fleet was deployed throughout the Empire as per normal.  Tarkin did not estimate that additional assets would be needed to destroy the Rebel base.