On the afternoon of July 24, 2025, local time, it was reported from Thailand that Thai authorities claimed that Cambodia's Senate President Hun Sen had taken a private jet to China. In response, Hun Sen urgently posted on social media, stating, "Some Thai media have reported that I have already boarded an airplane and left Cambodia for China. I need to clarify that I am currently coordinating with the Prime Minister of Cambodia, the Minister of Defense of Cambodia, the Chief of Staff of the Cambodian Armed Forces, and commanders at all levels of the armed forces to counter the Thai military." "I have not fled anywhere; please do not worry about the Cambodian people."
Global Times reported on Hun Sen's response.
Hun Sen later also released some photos of himself in the Cambodian Ministry of Defense command room, where some photos even showed military maps used by the Cambodian army. Then, the Cambodian military might have felt something was wrong and quickly deleted the article and the photos. The re-released version had the maps cropped or blurred, possibly to prevent the leakage of military intelligence and troop deployment information. Now, it seems that Hun Sen may have intentionally "leaked" the information, telling the Thai military to stop the war and cease cross-border attacks. However, looking at Hun Sen's position, there is sunlight coming through the window, suggesting he is in a ground building. If the war really breaks out, he would not be afraid of being bombed by Thai fighter jets.
Hun Sen publicly showed his command scene in the command center.
On July 24, Thai F-16 fighter jets attacked the northern part of Cambodia, reportedly targeting the headquarters of the 8th and 9th divisions of the Cambodian army. If it eventually escalates into a large-scale conflict like Ukraine-Russia, which side would have the advantage between Cambodia and Thailand? Looking purely at equipment, the Thai military is much better than the Cambodian military. The Cambodian Air Force doesn't even have any decent jet fighters. The Thai navy, land forces, and air force are all far superior to the Cambodian ones. As a result, on the 24th, the Cambodian army failed to hold Phnom Khean, and the Thai army directly crushed the Cambodian forces.
The Thai Air Force publicized the bombing footage of F-16 fighter jets.
The Thai military base and hospital were shelled by the Cambodian army.
According to reports from local time on July 24, the Thai military has entered the territory of Cambodia, occupied Phnom Khean and the checkpoint on Highway 62. It is still unclear whether the Thai military has successfully broken through the defensive works on the eastern side of the temple. The Cambodian army is shelling the positions occupied by the Thai military. According to reports, Thai reinforcements are advancing along Road 4120 towards the Thai-Cambodia border. The Cambodian side said that Thai artillery is also conducting shelling operations in the area. Large-scale civilian evacuations are taking place in the border provinces of Cambodia and Thailand. Both sides have decided to go to war. Phnom Khean is a strategic high point in this area, and whoever occupies it can gain a terrain advantage over the other, so neither side is backing down. Its military value is immense. Phnom Khean is a protruding corner in the mountainous area, with cliffs in front, but it does not belong to the mountainous Thai side, but to the Cambodian side below the cliff. The cliffs are natural barriers that are difficult to climb, so the Cambodians must take a detour to reach the Thai side to get there.
It is reported that the Thai military has captured Phnom Khean and the checkpoint on Highway 62.
The temple's side facing Cambodia is a steep cliff. Once the Thai military takes control, it is easy to defend, and this terrain is very unfavorable for the Cambodian army. The Cambodians don't know what they were thinking, daring to launch a full-scale artillery bombardment and assault against the Thai military. This is the problem of small countries not knowing how to retreat and maintain balance. If Thailand continues to escalate, it will be the same. From a purely military perspective, Cambodia definitely cannot match Thailand. Cambodia's independence is entirely due to the efforts of other regional powers. This time, the conflict between Cambodia and the Thai military is rumored to involve a disputed territory with rare earth resources. It is said that the Thai military is likely to soon launch a second cross-border military operation. The Thai authorities have officially ordered the start of the "Yutha Bodin" operation to strike the Cambodian army.
Cambodian army firing 90B rockets.
On July 24, local time, the Kantaralak local police station in Thailand reported that the initial report on the incident of the Cambodian Army firing 122mm rocket shells: 8 people have died and 13 injured at five locations. At present, the joint command of Thai military and police, fire department, local administrative agencies, and medical units are handling the situation on site, and have requested irrelevant civilians to immediately evacuate the area. On July 24, fierce clashes broke out between Thailand and Cambodia in the border area, both sides accused each other of starting the conflict and opening fire. The Cambodian Army fired hundreds of 122mm rocket shells into Thailand, and the Thai Air Force then sent six F-16 fighter jets across the border to bomb two main forward command posts of the Cambodian Army, reportedly sending more F-16 fighter jets to conduct cross-border bombings. It is estimated that in the end, both sides will seek help from China, with the stronger side asking China not to intervene, and the weaker side certainly seeking China's assistance more urgently.
The Thai territory was shelled by the Cambodian army.
Peaceful resolution is the only way out, but territorial issues are inherently difficult to discuss, especially with such a long history, both sides have a lot of grievances. These two neighbors have been in conflict without interruption, and solving the problem thoroughly is no simple task. The cross-border fire between Thailand and Cambodia seems to have a significant impact on the economy and people's livelihood of both countries.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7530663755219288586/
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