Thu Dec 18 16:34:25 UTC 2025: News Article:

Thailand and Cambodia Trade Airstrikes Amid Renewed Border Conflict

Phnom Penh, Cambodia – Tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border have escalated dramatically as Thailand launched further airstrikes into Cambodian territory on Thursday, December 18, 2025. The Thai military claimed to have targeted a warehouse in Poipet used by the Cambodian army to store rockets, claiming these rockets had been used in ongoing combat.

The two nations have been embroiled in a territorial dispute over border regions, some of which contain ancient temple ruins. Thailand alleges that Cambodian forces have been using these temples as military bases.

Fighting intensified on December 8th, following a border skirmish. Since then, Thailand has employed F-16 fighter jets in airstrikes, while Cambodia has responded with BM-21 rocket barrages.

Cambodian officials reported that Thai jets dropped bombs on Poipet, a crucial border town, causing damage to a residential area and injuring civilians. Thailand acknowledged the airstrikes but insisted the target was on the outskirts of the city and aimed at a military storage facility.

Casualty figures continue to rise. Thai media reports 21 soldiers killed since the beginning of December 8th. Cambodia claims 18 civilians have been killed. Hundreds of thousands on both sides of the border have been displaced.

The fighting jeopardizes a ceasefire previously brokered by Malaysia and then U.S. President Donald Trump earlier in the year. Despite Trump’s announcement last week that the ceasefire was being renewed, both Thai and Cambodian officials have offered conflicting statements.

Amid escalating violence, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is attempting to negotiate a peaceful resolution. China, which maintains close ties with both nations, is also sending a special envoy to mediate. The international community is watching closely as the conflict threatens to further destabilize the region.

Read More