Thailand launched airstrikes along its contentious border with Cambodia late Monday, as both nations traded blame over the latest outbreak of violence. This development raises fresh concerns about the stability of a ceasefire previously mediated by former President Trump.
According to Thai military officials, Cambodian forces opened fire across various points on the border, leading to the death of a Thai soldier and injuries to others. The escalating situation prompted the Thai army to begin evacuating civilians from nearby areas. Major General Winthai Suvaree told The Associated Press that Cambodian troops initiated the conflict by firing into Thai territory, prompting Thailand to use aircraft to target “military objectives” in order to quell the Cambodian assault.
In response, Cambodia refuted these claims. Defense Ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata informed the AP that it was Thailand who first launched attacks and insisted that Cambodia did not retaliate during the initial skirmish. The Cambodian ministry has called on Thailand to cease its military operations.
Videos shared by Cambodia’s Education Ministry depicted students being evacuated from schools near the border as parents hurried to collect their children.
An image distributed by the Royal Thai Army shows a wounded Thai soldier being transported to a hospital in Sisaket province, Thailand. This follows reports from a Thai army spokesperson that Cambodian troops had fired into Thai territory on Sunday, December 7, 2025. (Royal Thai Army via AP)
This latest escalation comes on the heels of a minor exchange of fire on Sunday. Thailand reported that two of its soldiers were injured by Cambodian forces, prompting a Thai response that lasted about 20 minutes. Cambodia, however, accused Thailand of initiating that encounter as well and maintained that it did not return fire.
Cambodian soldiers (C) ride their motorbike as local residents evacuate following clashes along the Cambodia-Thailand border in Preah Vihear province on December 8, 2025. (AFP via Getty Images)
Tensions have persisted despite an October ceasefire negotiated by U.S. President Donald Trump, which brought an end to five days of fighting in July that killed dozens of soldiers and civilians. That agreement showed signs of strain last month when several Thai soldiers were injured by land mines in contested areas, leading the Thai government to announce it would suspend implementation of parts of the deal.
Both sides have continued to blame one another for ceasefire violations, even as the truce calls for cooperation on mine removal and steps to stabilize the border.
Thailand and Cambodia have a long history of conflict dating back to rival kingdoms that fought over influence for centuries. In the modern era, disputes have centered on French colonial-era border maps, which Thailand argues are inaccurate.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet shake hands following the signing of a Cambodia-Thailand peace deal as U.S. President Donald Trump reacts at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on October 26, 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Despite the October agreement, neither country has reached a resolution to the underlying territorial dispute, and regional observers warn that renewed clashes could draw the two nations closer to a wider conflict without renewed diplomatic engagement.
