According to a senior US official, these intelligence findings could be used as justification for possible military action by the United States. He added that the Donald Trump administration views Cuba as a serious threat, given the country's acquisition of new drones, but also the presence of Iranian military advisers in the Cuban capital.
“When we consider the presence of such technologies in such close proximity, as well as the activity of numerous dangerous groups – from terrorist organizations, through drug cartels, to Iranians and Russians – we are seriously concerned,” the official said.
Growing tensions around Cuba
On Wednesday, the United States Department of Justice plans to unveil an indictment against former Cuban leader Raul Castro in connection with the 1996 shooting down of two planes by the humanitarian organization Brothers to the Rescue. Cuban representatives do not comment on these US accusations.
According to US officials, Cuba from 2023 buys combat drones with various capabilities from Russia and Iran, storing them at strategic points on the island. Last month, the Cuban authorities allegedly sought further deliveries of drones and military equipment from Russia. Captured intelligence also suggests that Cuban services are trying to find out how Iran is dealing with pressure from the US.
Russia and China have advanced espionage centers in Cuba that are used to collect intelligence signals. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated during a congressional hearing that the presence of a hostile state so close to the US borders, using modern technologies, is a serious problem.
Concerns about drone attacks on US forces have increased after… Iran used unmanned aerial vehicles in response to the US attacks on February 28. Iranian drones damaged US bases in the Middle East, contributed to closing the Strait of Hormuz and threatened the Persian Gulf states by deciding to launch missile attacks against them.
The changing political situation in the region
Castro's regime, according to American assessments, is currently in the most difficult situation since the 1959 revolution.mainly due to American sanctions and the deteriorating economic situation. The United States considers Cuba a state sponsor of terrorism and describes it as the “head of the snake” spreading revolutionary Marxism in Latin America.
One of Cuba's former allies was Nicolas Maduro from Venezuela, whom the American services removed from power in early January and then began to normalize relations with Venezuela, which allowed for more information on Cuba's drone program.
The Cuban threat in the eyes of the USA
American officials they do not currently believe that Cuba poses an immediate threat or is planning an attack on American interests. However, U.S. intelligence indicates that Cuban military officials have discussed plans to use drones if a conflict breaks out as relations with the U.S. continue to deteriorate.
Cuba does not have the ability to completely block the Florida Strait, just as Iran paralyzed shipping in Hormuz. Americans also do not perceive Cuba as a threat comparable to the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. A high-ranking official noted that no one is afraid of Cuban fighters, and it is not even clear whether the country has an operational combat aircraft. However, as he emphasized, the distance between Cuba and Florida is only 90 miles [ok. 140 km] and it is a situation that raises concerns among American policymakers.
