Thai Air Force deploys F-16s to bomb Cambodian targets in three key strategic areas
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) deployed F-16 fighter jets to carry out two airstrike waves on Cambodian military positions in the strategic areas surrounding Preah Vihear Temple, Ta Muen Thom, and Phu Makua, in retaliation for Cambodia’s use of heavy weaponry against Thai civilian homes and hospitals. All aircraft returned safely.
According to reports, shortly after noon on July 25, the Air Force executed the first wave of its Battlefield Air Interdiction (BAI) operation, dispatching four F-16 jets to strike two Cambodian military targets. The mission was successful, and all aircraft returned to base without incident.
In the second wave conducted in the afternoon, two more F-16s were launched, striking two additional targets with precision, before safely returning to base.
Target Areas and Strategic Objective
The air operation focused on neutralising Cambodian military positions in the vicinity of:
Preah Vihear (Khao Phra Wihan), Ta Muen Thom and Phu Makua
These areas were identified as firing bases from which Cambodia launched attacks on Thai civilian areas, including homes and hospitals, along the border. The Thai Air Force emphasised that these actions were a tactical response to the inhumane use of force by Cambodia.
About the Operation: Battlefield Air Interdiction (BAI)
The BAI mission aims to disrupt or destroy enemy forces and capabilities that are beyond the range of friendly ground troops or artillery, but still within the broader battlefield zone. This tactic is intended to delay, impede, or degrade the enemy's combat capacity before it reaches the front lines.
