warns me they bite

What is the exact meaning of "bite" in the following passage? It is from the book “Persian Gulf Command” by Ashley Jackson, pp. 78. It is about the war between England and Iraq in 1941.

Three Iraqi armoured cars come up, my bombs miss but Dan opens them up like a tin opener with a stick right down the road. Tony warns me they “bite” so I don’t go too low

Thanks very much.