PHNOM PENH – Renewed fighting has erupted between Thailand and Cambodia, just hours after a reported agreement brokered by the United States to cease hostilities. Both nations are trading accusations of initiating the latest round of conflict along their disputed border.
The Cambodian Ministry of Defense alleged that Thai forces deployed fighter jets to bombard Cambodian territory. “On December 13, 2025, the Thai military used two F-16 fighter jets to drop seven bombs” on several targets, the ministry stated in a post. “Thai fighter jets have not stopped bombing until now.”
Thailand’s military responded with counter-accusations, claiming Cambodia has repeatedly violated international norms by targeting civilian areas and deploying landmines. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul was quoted as saying that Thailand would continue military operations until the country “feels no further harm.” He cited the explosion of a landmine that resulted in the deaths of Thai soldiers, dismissing it as a mere accident.
The renewed violence casts doubt on claims of a ceasefire. Earlier, it was reported that U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to a “cessation of all firing” effective Friday, following telephone conversations with Prime Minister Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet.
However, neither leader directly confirmed the agreement in their public statements. Prime Minister Charnvirakul explicitly stated that there was no ceasefire in place. Hun Manet acknowledged the call with President Trump and a previous discussion with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. He stated that Cambodia remains committed to a peaceful resolution to the conflict, adhering to a previous agreement signed in Kuala Lumpur. He suggested the U.S. and Malaysia utilize their intelligence capabilities “to verify which side started firing first” in the latest clashes.
Since Monday, Cambodia and Thailand have exchanged rocket and artillery fire across several points along their 817-kilometer disputed border in the most intense fighting seen since previous border skirmishes. The situation remains tense and volatile.
