Regime steps up airstrikes across Arakan State with jet squadrons

By Admin 08 May 2026

DMG Newsroom

8 May 2026, Minbya

Despite its recent invitation for peace talks with ethnic armed organizations and People’s Defence Forces, the regime has continued conducting sustained airstrikes using jet squadrons, marking a clear escalation in its aerial warfare campaign.

Around 2:00 PM on 7 May, the regime deployed eight aircraft to carry out an intensive 90-minute bombing raid over the mountain ranges near Kyaukkhote and Thit Pote Taung villages in Minbya Township, leaving local residents in a state of heightened fear.

“The jet fighters came one after another to drop bombs repeatedly. For the time being, there are no civilian casualties, but locals are terrified that they will return for further attacks,” a resident of Minbya said.

The regime reportedly launched another air raid near the mountain ranges of Kyauktaw Township at approximately 10:00 PM the same night.

According to local sources, the operation involved three to four jet fighters along with a Y-12 aircraft, which circled the area and dropped bombs over an extended period.

“I think there were about three or four jet fighters. A Y-12 aircraft was also used to drop bombs. Throughout yesterday, the jet fighters and the Y-12 aircraft hovered over the entire Kyauktaw Township for a long time, leaving everyone too afraid to sleep,” a local woman from Kyauktaw said.

The surge in airstrikes across Arakan State has triggered widespread panic among civilians, with many fearing that further attacks may follow.

On 6 May, the regime also used two jet fighters to bomb the vicinity of the former Light Infantry Battalion 563 site in Gwa Township.

Military observers note that as the regime increasingly relies on airpower as its primary offensive tool, aerial attacks are likely to expand further across the country, including Arakan State.

“The Myanmar regime and the Indian navy chief recently held talks regarding border issues. It is understood that they focused on ensuring the absence of ethnic armed groups in border regions. This is a point that ethnic armed organizations must watch closely. It could be seen as an opportunity for the junta. I analyze that the regime may increase its aerial bombings under the guise of ‘territory clearing’ in border areas like Arakan and Chin States,” a military and political analyst stated.

While the regime has proposed a 100-day peace plan to ethnic revolutionary forces and the PDF, it continues to intensify military pressure on the ground by expanding aerial operations.

In a recent interview with The Diplomat, the chief of the Arakan Army stated that as long as the regime continues to bomb civilians, there can be no progress in the peace process.