Thailand Launches Airstrikes Against Cambodia Amid Escalating Border Conflict

Thailand has begun launching airstrikes along its disputed border, following intense clashes with opposing forces that have reignited long-standing territorial disputes. The escalation comes after both sides accused each other of firing first, with Thai officials confirming casualties among their troops and civilians being evacuated from affected areas.

According to the Royal Thai Army, Cambodian forces opened fire with small arms and rocket launchers in multiple areas along the frontier, prompting Thai units to respond with air power. Army spokesperson Maj. Gen. Winthai Suvaree stated that one Thai soldier was killed and four others wounded during the exchanges. He added that Thai aircraft were deployed to strike military targets in several zones to suppress what he described as “supporting fire attacks” from Cambodian positions.

Cambodia’s Defense Ministry, however, rejected the Thai account, claiming that Thai forces initiated the attacks in border provinces including Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey. Cambodian officials urged Thailand to halt “hostile activities that threaten peace and stability in the region,” while insisting their troops had not retaliated during the initial strikes.

The clashes stem from a decades-old territorial dispute over stretches of the 800-kilometer border, particularly areas surrounding the historic Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Although the International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the temple lies within Cambodian territory, disagreements over surrounding land have repeatedly triggered armed confrontations.

Earlier in 2025, the dispute escalated into a five-day war that displaced hundreds of civilians and killed dozens of soldiers. A ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim temporarily halted fighting, but tensions resurfaced last month after Thailand accused Cambodia of planting new landmines in contested areas.

The latest airstrikes have forced evacuations of residents on both sides of the border. Thai authorities confirmed that civilians in Sisaket and Ubon Ratchathani provinces were moved to safer zones, while Cambodian officials reported similar measures in border villages.