On August 5, 2025, local time, multiple Cambodian media outlets reported that during the border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand, the Royal Thai Air Force planned to launch a decapitation operation, conducting precision bombing targeting Hun Sen and Hun Manmon. Foreign intelligence agencies discovered that the Thai military was suspected of planning to assassinate the President of the Senate of Cambodia, Hun Sen, and the Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Manmon, using South Korean-made GPS-guided bombs launched by the U.S.-made AT-6TH light attack aircraft. This is the first time that the Cambodian side has publicly revealed that the Royal Thai Air Force was preparing to bomb and kill the President of the Senate of Cambodia, Hun Sen, and the Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Manmon. Previously, the Cambodian side had reported that the Royal Thai Air Force planned to deploy 48 F-16s and Gripen fighters for a surprise attack on Phnom Penh.

Screenshot of a report by the Khmer Times, a Cambodian media outlet

According to the Cambodian side, the Thai military deployed, equipped with South Korean-made GPS glide-guided bombs, using the U.S.-made AT-6TH light attack aircraft, to carry out precise strikes against the two leaders of Cambodia. The South Korean-made glide-guided bombs have advantages such as small size, high accuracy, and difficulty in detection, making them very suitable for assassination missions. The Cambodian side stated that the Royal Thai Air Force did not choose F-16 fighter jets or Gripen fighters because the Royal Thai Air Force decided that the U.S.-made AT-6TH light attack aircraft was more suitable for low-altitude stealth flight to avoid the Chinese-made HQ-12 air defense missile system. The HQ-12 air defense missile system has limited chances of intercepting low-flying aircraft.

The U.S.-made AT-6TH light attack aircraft used by the Royal Thai Air Force

On July 29, the Royal Thai Air Force received an emergency delivery of 8 AT-6TH attack aircraft provided by the United States and 200 GPS glide-guided bombs made in South Korea. Previously, the TH-50 combat trainer aircraft sent by the Royal Thai Air Force to South Korea for maintenance were also returned urgently. According to reports, the Royal Thai Air Force planned to drop these glide-guided bombs over Phnom Penh, and the AT-6TH attack aircraft of the Royal Thai Air Force were scheduled to fly from the sea to avoid being detected by the Chinese-made HQ-12 air defense missile system. The Royal Thai Air Force did not carry out this decapitation operation due to the lack of information about the locations and movements of Hun Sen and Hun Manmon, which was closely related to the accurate intelligence provided by a third country. During the war, the Royal Thai Air Force waited for the exact coordinates of Hun Sen and Hun Manmon, reportedly from internal intelligence of the Cambodian authorities, before carrying out the decapitation and assassination. However, the statement from the Cambodian side has not been acknowledged by the Thai military, as it would be a shocking news for both Cambodia and Thailand to have one of the top figures of Cambodia assassinated during a border conflict.

It is said that during the war, South Korea urgently delivered 200 glide-guided bombs to the Royal Thai Air Force

Evidently, the third country mentioned by Cambodia now seems to be likely the United States. During the Cambodia-Thailand conflict, the United States first lifted restrictions on the Thai Air Force, allowing the Royal Thai Air Force to use F-16 fighter jets to bomb Cambodia. If the Royal Thai Air Force uses the U.S.-made AT-6TH light attack aircraft and the South Korean-made glide-guided bombs, it must receive U.S. technical and intelligence support. However, due to the fear of the HQ-12 air defense missile system and the lack of accurate intelligence, the Royal Thai Air Force did not carry out this assassination. The President of the Senate of Cambodia, Hun Sen, and the Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Manmon, narrowly escaped.

Cambodia reveals that the Royal Thai Air Force planned to launch a decapitation operation, conducting precise bombing targeting Hun Sen and Hun Manmon, for targeted elimination

U.S. "Green Berets" special forces personnel attended the funeral of Thai special forces soldiers who died in the Thailand-Cambodia border conflict. On August 3, personnel of the U.S. Army's 1st Special Forces Division's "Green Berets" participated in the funeral of Thai Army special forces soldiers. It is reported that at least 15 Thai soldiers died in the fighting in Cambodia, including 2 Thai special forces members. Most of these Thai special forces were trained by the U.S. military, who provided weapons, equipment, tactics, training, and joint exercises. The participation of U.S. Green Berets in the funeral of Thai special forces soldiers demonstrates the so-called cross-border friendship and mutual respect among international special forces. In essence, it benefits the U.S. military in continuing to attract the Thai military.

U.S. "Green Berets" special forces personnel attend the funeral of Thai special forces soldiers who died in the Thailand-Cambodia border conflict

In this Thailand-Cambodia conflict, the Royal Thai Air Force had a significant advantage, with more than 50 F-16A/B aircraft, 12 Gripen fighter jets, and Swedish-made early warning aircraft, as well as various drones manufactured using technology introduced from China. The Cambodian air defense forces, apart from the FN-6 shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, only had six HQ-12 air defense missile systems. These six HQ-12 air defense missile systems prevented the Royal Thai Air Force's F-16 fighter jets from conducting reckless bombing and even led to a shift from dropping iron bombs to using South Korean-made glide-guided bombs.

Images of Cambodian soldiers during the war: wearing flower pants, equipped with Type 80 machine guns and Type 56-2 assault rifles

Even the Royal Thai Air Force's F-16 aircraft bombed multiple targets in Cambodia in the last 10 minutes. This five-day battle, supported by the United States, South Korea, and Israel, gave Thailand great confidence. The F-16 and Gripen fighter jets were fully engaged in bombing, Israeli-made 155mm truck artillery rained down, M-60, T-84, and VT-4 tanks came into play, releasing cluster bombs, mother bombs, and glide-guided bombs. The number of HQ-12 air defense missile systems in Cambodia was still too few to cover the entire country, especially the border areas. The only way for the Cambodian military to shoot down the Royal Thai Air Force's F-16 and Gripen fighter jets was the HQ-12 air defense system. The Royal Thai Air Force's F-16 and Gripen fighter jets were very afraid of the threat posed by the Chinese-made HQ-12 air defense system, thus avoiding flying over the skies of Cambodia to drop iron bombs.

If Cambodia did not have the six HQ-12 air defense missile systems, the losses would have been even greater

If Cambodia did not have these six HQ-12 air defense missile systems, the losses would have been even greater, and the damage caused by the Royal Thai Air Force would have been more severe. Although the HQ-12 air defense missile system is not very advanced, it has already achieved the feat of shooting down U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets and Swedish Gripen fighter jets. The Cambodian military still needs to place large orders with China to purchase a large number of Hongqi air defense systems, including the Hongqi-22 and Hongqi-17 air defense missiles, to establish a comprehensive air defense network across Cambodia.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7535003588318200360/

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