Thailand launches airstrikes as Cambodia border tensions spike
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Thailand launched airstrikes along its disputed border with Cambodia late Monday; Both governments blamed each other for triggering the latest wave of violence, raising new doubts about the stability of the Trump-brokered ceasefire.
Thai military officials said Cambodian soldiers opened fire in several areas along the border, resulting in the death of one Thai soldier and wounding others. The Thai military said civilians in nearby communities were evacuated as the situation intensified. Maj. Gen. Winthai Suvaree told The Associated Press that Cambodian troops first opened fire on Thai territory and that the planes were used to hit “military targets in various areas to suppress incendiary attacks supported by Cambodia.”
Cambodia rejected this account. Defense Ministry spokesman Maly Socheata told the AP that Thai forces attacked first and that Cambodia did not retaliate during the initial conflict. The ministry called on Thailand to stop its military actions.
Footage released by the Cambodian Ministry of Education shows students leaving schools near the border as families rush to pick up their children.
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In this photo released by the Royal Thai Army, a wounded Thai soldier is carried to a hospital in Thailand’s Sisaket province, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, after Cambodian troops opened fire on Thai territory, according to a Thai army spokesman. (Royal Thai Army via AP)
The increase follows a smaller conflict on Sunday. Thailand said Cambodian forces wounded two of its soldiers before Thai troops responded for about 20 minutes. Cambodia claimed that Thailand also initiated this encounter and said that there was no return of fire.
Cambodian soldiers (C) ride their motorcycles as locals are evacuated following clashes at the Cambodia-Thailand border in Preah Vihear province, December 8, 2025. (AFP via Getty Images)
Tensions have continued despite a ceasefire negotiated by US President Donald Trump in October, which ended five days of fighting in July that left dozens of soldiers and civilians dead. That agreement showed signs of tension last month, with several Thai soldiers injured by mines in disputed areas, prompting the Thai government to announce it would suspend implementation of parts of the agreement.
Although the ceasefire called for cooperation on demining and steps to stabilize the border, both sides continued to blame each other for ceasefire violations.
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Thailand and Cambodia have a long history of conflict, dating back to rival kingdoms vying for influence over centuries. In the modern era, disputes center on French colonial-era border maps, which Thailand claims are inaccurate.
U.S. President Donald Trump reacts at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on October 26, 2025, while Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet shake hands following the signing of the Cambodia-Thailand peace agreement. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Despite the agreement in October, both countries have failed to reach a resolution to the underlying territorial dispute, and regional observers warn that renewed fighting could push the two countries closer to a broader conflict without renewed diplomatic interaction.
