On Thursday, Thailand deployed F-16 fighters to carry out airstrikes on targets within Cambodia, a move prompted by the deaths of at least 11 civilians due to artillery fire.
This was reported by Reuters.
Both sides accused each other of instigating the morning clash in a disputed border region, which quickly escalated from small arms fire to heavy artillery engagements. Fighting erupted in at least six locations along the 209-kilometer border, whose sovereignty has been contested for over a century.
According to the Thai army, six F-16 fighters were dispatched, one of which executed a precision strike on a military target in Cambodia. Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs termed Thailand's actions as "reckless and brutal military aggression".
Quote: "These are the most intense hostilities between the two countries in the last 13 years. They occurred after Thailand recalled its ambassador from Phnom Penh and expelled a Cambodian representative in response to the second incident where a Thai soldier lost a limb due to a mine, which Bangkok claims was recently placed by Cambodian forces. Cambodia called this accusation unfounded".
Details: The UN Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting on Friday. The United States, a long-time ally of Thailand, has called for an immediate ceasefire.
Thailand reported 12 fatalities across three provinces, including 11 civilians, among them an eight-year-old boy. Additionally, 31 individuals sustained injuries. The casualty count from the Cambodian side remains unknown.
The Thai Minister of Health stated that a shell hit a hospital in Surin province, labeling it as "a war crime".
Thailand has evacuated over 40,000 people from border regions. Residents, including children and the elderly, are seeking shelter in concrete bunkers filled with sandbags. Footage shows black smoke rising over a gas station in Sisaket province, where a fire broke out following the shelling.
For decades, Thailand and Cambodia have disputed jurisdiction over various unmarked areas along their 817-kilometer border, particularly around the Hindu temples of Ta Moan Thom and Preah Vihear. In 1962, the International Court awarded Preah Vihear to Cambodia, but tensions flared again in 2008 when Cambodia attempted to inscribe the temple on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
In June, Cambodia filed a lawsuit in the International Court to resolve the dispute, but Thailand stated it does not recognize the court's jurisdiction and insists on a bilateral approach.