Thailand and Cambodia forces clash along border, with Thai jets bombing purported military sites

Bangkok — Thai and Cambodian soldiers clashed in several areas along the countries' shared border on Thursday in a major escalation of a conflict that has left at least 12 people dead in Thailand, all but one of them civilians, according to the Thai health ministry. The two sides fired small arms, artillery and rockets, and Thailand also called in airstrikes.

Thai villagers could be seen on video fleeing their homes to seek shelter as the clashes began in the morning.

Fighting was ongoing in at least six areas along the border, Thai Defense Ministry spokesperson Surasant Kongsiri said. The trigger for the clashes was a mine explosion along the border on Wednesday that wounded five Thai soldiers and led Bangkok to withdraw its ambassador to Cambodia and expelled Cambodia's.