BANGKOK/PHNOM PENH, July 24, 2025.
Fighter Jet Strikes Mark an Unprecedented Surge in Border Conflict
Discover the latest developments in the escalating conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, including airstrikes, civilian casualties, and historical tensions over disputed territories.
A Thai F-16 fighter jet bombed Cambodian positions Thursday after heavy border clashes escalated, marking a rare outbreak of armed conflict between the two neighbours.
Shared history, troubled border. The Cambodia-Thailand conflict is deeply rooted in a shared history and a troubled border. At its core is the enduring influence of an 11th-century Hindu shrine, a symbol that has fueled tensions between the two nations for centuries.
Tensions rose when Thailand reported seeing a Cambodian drone and armed soldiers near Ta Muen temple, followed by mutual artillery volleys that killed at least 11 civilians.
In response, Thailand launched F-16 airstrikes across the border.
Thailand's rare use of an F-16 to strike Cambodian targets marked the outbreak of armed conflict after artillery from both sides resulted in civilian casualties.
Both sides blamed each other for starting a morning clash at a disputed area of the border. What began as small arms fire quickly escalated into heavy shelling across at least six locations, spanning 209 kilometres (130 miles) along a frontier where sovereignty has been contested for more than a century.
Thailand deployed six F-16 fighter jets in an unusual combat configuration. One was mobilised to strike a Cambodian military target. Cambodia's foreign ministry called these measures "reckless and brutal military aggression."
Thailand's military stated that the use of air power was intended to strike with precision.
The worst fighting between the countries in 13 years came after Thailand on Wednesday recalled its ambassador to Phnom Penh and expelled Cambodia's envoy. This followed a second Thai soldier losing a limb to a landmine. Bangkok alleged the mine had been laid recently by rival troops, an accusation Cambodia called baseless.
The United States, a long-time treaty ally of Thailand, has called for an immediate end to hostilities, highlighting the global concern over the escalating violence.
"We are ... gravely concerned by the escalating violence along the Thailand-Cambodia border, and deeply saddened by reports of harm to civilians," the State Department's deputy spokesperson, Tommy Pigott, told a regular news briefing.
"The United States urges an immediate cessation of hostilities, protection of civilians, and a peaceful resolution of the conflict," he said.
The two countries have been braced for conflict since the killing of a Cambodian soldier late in May during a brief skirmish. Troops have been reinforced on both sides of the border amid a full-blown diplomatic crisis. The crisis has brought Thailand's fragile coalition government to the brink of collapse.
Thailand reported 12 fatalities in three provinces, with 11 of them being civilians, including an eight-year-old boy. The number of injured on Thursday was 31. The extent of Cambodian casualties remains unclear.
"We condemn this - using heavy weapons without a clear target, outside of conflict zones... the use of force and did not adhere to international law," Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai told reporters.
"We remain committed to peaceful means, and there should be discussions, but what happened was a provocation, and we had to defend ourselves."
'PREMEDITATED MILITARY AGGRESSION'
Thailand's Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin told reporters a hospital was hit by shelling in Surin province, an attack he said should be considered "a war crime".
Cambodian government, defence, and foreign ministry officials gave no indication of fatalities sustained. They also provided no estimate of the number of people evacuated.
In a letter to Pakistan, the current president of the United Nations Security Council, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet, urged the body to convene a meeting to stop what he called "unprovoked and premeditated military aggression" by Thailand in violation of international law.
As clashes spread to different border areas, Thai villagers fled to shelters. Children and elderly people also sought safety in shelters made of concrete, sandbags, and car tires.
"How many rounds have been fired? It's countless," an unidentified woman in Surin province told the Thai Public Broadcasting Service while hiding in the shelter as gunfire and explosions were heard in the background.
DECADES OF DISPUTES
For decades, Thailand and Cambodia have bickered over jurisdiction at various undemarcated points along their 817 km (508-mile) land border. Central to these disputes are the ownership of the ancient Hindu temples Ta Moan Thom and the 11th-century Preah Vihear.
Preah Vihear was awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962. Tension escalated in 2008 after Cambodia attempted to list it as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
That led to skirmishes over several years and at least a dozen deaths.
Cambodia in June said it had asked the ICJ to resolve its disputes with Thailand, which says it has never recognised the court's jurisdiction and prefers a bilateral approach.
Thailand's use of a fighter jet underlines its military advantage over Cambodia in terms of size and range of defence hardware.
The clashes have caused jitters in the region, with the Philippines and Vietnam calling for restraint and China expressing willingness to help promote de-escalation. This underlines the broader regional implications of the conflict.
Thailand Cambodia conflict
#Thailand #Cambodia #BorderConflict #MilitaryTensions #InternationalRelations #Peace #CivilianCasualties
