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The United States is investigating the threat of military drones that could be sent from Cuba against the Guantanamo Naval Base, U.S. military vessels, and possibly Key West, Florida, just 90 miles from Havana.
Classified intelligence shared with Axios reveals that the Cuban government has acquired over 300 military attack drones from Russia and Iran since 2023, and that military officials from the regime have begun discussing plans to use them against those strategic points.
The drones, described as having "variable capabilities," have been stored in strategic locations throughout the Island, according to U.S. officials.
In the past month, the Castro regime requested more drones and military equipment from Russia, according to intelligence interceptions that also indicate that Cuban intelligence is "trying to learn how Iran" has resisted the onslaught of the Trump administration in recent months.
"When we think about such technologies being so close, and a variety of hostile actors, from terrorist groups to drug cartels, Iranians and Russians, it is concerning," declared a senior U.S. official.
"It is a growing threat," he admitted.
The revelation comes days after the director of the CIA, John Ratcliffe, traveled to Cuba on Thursday to directly warn regime leaders against any acts of hostility and demand the dismantling of their totalitarian system as a condition for lifting the sanctions.
A CIA official stated that "Director Ratcliffe made it clear that Cuba cannot continue to be a platform for adversaries to advance hostile agendas in our hemisphere" and that "the Western Hemisphere cannot be the playground of our adversaries."
The Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also confirmed before Congress last Tuesday that Cuba poses a threat to U.S. national security.
"We have been concerned for a long time about a foreign adversary using that location so close to our shores, which is very problematic," Hegseth stated during a legislative hearing.
U.S. officials estimate that up to 5,000 Cuban soldiers have fought for Russia in Ukraine, with Moscow paying the regime about $25,000 for each deployed soldier. Some of these fighters are said to have shared knowledge about drone warfare with military commanders in Havana.
"They are part of Putin's meat grinder. They are learning Iranian tactics. It's something we need to plan for," the senior official noted.
Russia and China also maintain high-tech spying facilities to gather signals intelligence in Cuba, U.S. officials confirmed. The presence of Iranian military advisors in Havana further exacerbates the situation.
Despite the seriousness of the revelations, U.S. officials clarify that Cuba does not pose an imminent threat and they do not believe it is actively planning to attack U.S. interests. Intelligence suggests that the Cuban military is discussing those plans as a contingency in case of a potential deterioration in relations.
"Nobody is worried about Cuba's fighter jets. It's not even clear that they have one that can fly," the senior official acknowledged. "But it’s worth noting how close they are: 90 miles. It’s not a reality we are comfortable with."
In that context of escalation, the Department of Justice plans to unveil a formal accusation against Raúl Castro for having ordered the shooting down of two planes belonging to Brothers to the Rescue on February 24, 1996, in which four people died.
The event is scheduled to take place at the Freedom Tower in Miami, and new sanctions against the Island could be announced that same week.
"The Western Hemisphere cannot be the playground of our adversaries," concluded the CIA official quoted by Axios.
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