Thai Airstrikes Inside Cambodian Territory: Trump-Brokered Truce Already Shaken

Thai military forces intensified operations on Saturday, December 13, 2025, launching multiple airstrikes on Cambodian soil in what marks a serious escalation along the contested border, just hours after a new ceasefire was announced under U.S. mediation.

According to a statement from the Cambodian Ministry of National Defence, two Thai Air Force F-16 fighter jets began strikes early in the morning, dropping ordnance on strategic targets in Pursat province. The first bomb fell at 5:50 a.m. on a hotel in the Thmar Da area, followed minutes later by additional explosions on the same building and nearby infrastructure, including the Chey Chumneas bridge.

Naval Operations Expand Conflict

The scope of Thailand’s military campaign extended beyond the air domain. The Royal Thai Navy initiated Operation Trat Prap Porapak — “Trat Suppresses the Enemy” — along the Chanthaburi-Trat stretch near Cambodia’s Koh Kong province. Naval vessels were placed on high alert and coordinated with ground and air units as part of the expanded border offensive. Thai officials framed the moves as necessary responses to alleged Cambodian incursions, while Phnom Penh condemned the actions as disproportionate aggression.

Fragile Truce Falters

The fresh hostilities highlight the precarious state of a ceasefire brokered the previous evening by U.S. President Donald Trump. The agreement, which followed months of diplomatic negotiation and came amid fears of a wider regional conflict, had sought to pause fighting that has periodically flared between Bangkok and Phnom Penh. Despite Trump’s calls for restraint — including threats of economic sanctions — the ceasefire’s terms faltered almost immediately under renewed military pressure.

Cambodian authorities said they were holding back from immediate retaliation in hopes of preserving the fragile peace. Yet continued air operations by Thai forces threaten to unravel diplomatic efforts led not only by Washington but also by ASEAN partner.

Long-Standing Border Dispute Context

The outbreak fits into a prolonged and deeply rooted territorial dispute dating back decades, centered on poorly demarcated boundaries and historic claims to sites such as the Preah Vihear temple complex. Sporadic clashes and artillery duels have left hundreds dead and triggered mass displacement on both sides, uprooting civilian populations from villages near the 800-kilometer disputed frontier.

Humanitarian Toll

The broader humanitarian impact of the conflict has been severe. Tens of thousands of residents in border provinces like Pursat and Koh Kong have fled advancing shells and air raids, seeking safety in hastily established camps. Local authorities, supported by international aid groups, are scrambling to provide shelter, food, and medical care amid growing concern over worsening conditions, particularly for vulnerable families.

Humanitarian and diplomatic sources are now urging the establishment of secure corridors to deliver emergency relief and prevent a deepening crisis, even as political and military tensions continue to escalate.