Thai Airstrikes on Cambodia Threaten Collapse of ‘Trump Peace Deal’
BANGKOK — The Royal Thai Air Force launched airstrikes against Cambodian targets early Monday morning, December 8. The escalation threatens to shatter a fragile peace agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump just two months ago. This is according to a report by CNN.
Renewed clashes erupted along the border on Monday. Both Thailand and Cambodia are trading blame for initiating the violence. It comes after weeks of rising tensions between the two nations.
The Thai Air Force stated the operation strictly targeted military infrastructure, including arms depots, command centers, and supply routes deemed immediate threats.
Thai officials claimed Cambodian forces had mobilized heavy weapons and adjusted troop positions to prepare for fire support, posing a direct risk to Thai border security.
Maj. Gen. Winthai Suvaree confirmed the airstrikes served as retaliation for an attack earlier that morning.
“The target was a Cambodian weapons support base at Chong An Ma (An Ma Pass). This site used artillery and grenade launchers to attack the Thai ‘Anupong’ base,” Maj. Gen. Winthai said. He reported that Cambodian forces initiated the assault at 3:00 AM. This led to the death of one Thai soldier and injuries to two others.
The Cambodian Ministry of Defense issued a statement via platform X, rejecting the Thai military’s claims as “fake news.” The ministry affirmed Cambodia remains committed to the peace agreement and international law, stating they did not retaliate during the clashes.
However, a separate statement from the Cambodian Army accused Thailand of launching an unprovoked attack at 5:04 AM. This followed days of alleged provocation by Thai forces.
CNN analyzed that this latest violence severely undermines a major diplomatic achievement for Donald Trump. The two nations reached an initial ceasefire in July after Trump spoke with leaders from both sides. This led to a formal declaration signed in Kuala Lumpur in late October. It was witnessed by Trump with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Once viewed as a key victory in Trump’s campaign to end global conflicts, the deal began to fracture less than two weeks after the signing. Thailand previously suspended progress on the agreement after landmines injured several Thai soldiers at the border.
Thai authorities have evacuated approximately 70% of civilians from border towns. Officials reported one death during the evacuation process, attributing it to the individual’s pre-existing health conditions rather than combat operations.
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