Media: Thai F-16 jets breach Cambodian airspace, strike targets

Thai F-16 fighter jets again violated Cambodian airspace, penetrating about 60 kilometres beyond the border and launching airstrikes on Cambodian territory on December 24.

According to the Cambodian Ministry of Defence, the attack began at around 10 a.m. local time, when Thai aircraft dropped six bombs on the Banan area of Battambang province in northwestern Cambodia, Khmer Times reports.

The ministry said Thailand deployed F-16 fighter jets to drop six bombs on the Banan area of Battambang province in northwestern Cambodia, forcing residents to flee their homes in search of shelter from what it described as Thai air aggression.

A long‑standing territorial dispute rooted in colonial‑era border demarcations re‑ignited on 7–8 December 2025 after a brief truce collapsed, leading to artillery exchanges, tanks, drones and Thai F‑16 airstrikes deep into Cambodian territory and sparking one of the fiercest confrontations in years.

The renewed hostilities have caused significant loss of life on both sides: according to ASEAN and government figures, at least 22 people have been killed in Thailand and 19 in Cambodia so far, with civilians and soldiers among the fatalities, and heavy weapons used by both militaries.

Earlier in the month, separate reports noted at least nine Cambodian civilians and four Thai soldiers killed amid escalating clashes, underscoring the intensity of the fighting as the conflict spread along the disputed frontier.

The violence has triggered a humanitarian crisis, prompting calls for de‑escalation by ASEAN and international mediators.

By Jeyhun Aghazada