A military confrontation erupted along the Cambodia-Thailand border, with both nations blaming each other for initiating hostilities, according to Reuters.
Thai F-16 fighter jets conducted strikes on Cambodian territory, destroying a military installation. Cambodia’s Defense Ministry countered, stating that the aircraft dropped two bombs on a roadway. The ministry issued a statement "strongly condemning Thailand’s reckless and brutal military aggression, which violates Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Prior to this, the neighboring countries had exchanged accusations of cross-border shelling. Reuters reported that the conflict began in the early hours of July 24 near the Ta Moan Thom temple, a disputed border area.
Officials in Thailand’s Surin province alleged that Cambodian forces fired rockets from a BM-21 launcher into a Thai village, killing two civilians. Meanwhile, Cambodia’s Defense Ministry asserted that Thai troops had crossed into its territory first, prompting a defensive response.
The BBC, citing Thailand’s health minister, reported that at least 12 people had died in the clashes.
Border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have flared repeatedly. The latest escalation followed Thailand’s decision on July 23 to recall its ambassador from Cambodia and expel Cambodia’s envoy in Bangkok.