Cuba Buys Over 300 Drones From Russia and Iran, Considers Using Them Against US

Cuba has acquired over 300 drones and is discussing the possibility of using them to strike US targets.

This was reported by Axios, citing classified intelligence.

According to US intelligence, potential targets could include the US base at Guantanamo Bay, US warships, and possibly the city of Key West in Florida.

The article says that this information has become one of the factors leading the Donald Trump administration to view Cuba as a potential threat amid the development of drone warfare and the presence of Iranian military advisers in Havana.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly visited Cuba and warned local authorities about the inadmissibility of military action against the United States. He also called on the Cuban leadership to abandon the current political system to ease American sanctions.

In addition, the US Department of Justice plans to publish an indictment against the de facto leader of Cuba, Raul Castro. He is accused of involvement in the order to shoot down a plane of the humanitarian organization Brothers to the Rescue, based in Miami, in 1996.

It is expected that the US may announce new sanctions against Cuba in the near future.

According to US officials, since 2023 Havana has been acquiring various types of strike drones from Russia and Iran and deploying them in strategic areas of the island.

The American side also claims that over the past month Cuban representatives have been attempting to purchase additional drones and other military equipment from Russia. Citing intercepted intelligence, Axios sources say Cuban intelligence is studying Iran’s experience of confronting the United States.

American officials estimate that up to 5,000 Cuban soldiers participated in Russia’s war against Ukraine, and some of them provided information to the Cuban leadership on the effectiveness of drones in modern warfare.

According to US estimates, Russia paid the Cuban authorities about $25,000 for each soldier sent to the war in Ukraine.
At the same time, Washington does not consider Cuba a direct military threat and does not see signs of an imminent attack on US facilities. However, US intelligence claims the Cuban military has discussed scenarios for using drones in the event of further deterioration in relations with the US and in a possible military conflict.

The US also emphasizes that Cuba does not have the capability to block the Straits of Florida in the same way Iran affects shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. In addition, US officials do not consider the current situation comparable to the level of threat during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

It was recently reported that the US has sharply increased the number of reconnaissance flights near Cuba amid rising tensions in the Caribbean region.