CNN: The US aerial reconnaissance has intensified off the coast of Cuba. This was already the case before operations in Venezuela and Iran

The number of American reconnaissance flights has increased sharply off the coast of Cuba.

CNN writes about this with reference to open data on flights.

Since February 4, the US Navy and Air Force have conducted at least 25 such flights using manned aircraft and drones. Most of them flew near the countryʼs two largest cities, Havana and Santiago de Cuba, and some came as close as 40 miles (64 km) from the coast, according to FlightRadar24 data.

Most of the flights were carried out by P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, designed for surveillance and reconnaissance. RC-135V Rivet Joint aircraft, specialized in collecting electronic intelligence, were also used. In addition, several MQ-4C Triton high-altitude reconnaissance drones participated in the missions.

These flights are notable not only because of their proximity to the coast, which allows for effective intelligence gathering, but also because of the suddenness of their appearance — until February, such publicly visible missions in the area were extremely rare.

In addition, the US has recently increased pressure on Cuba. In particular, on May 1, the US President Donald Trump expanded sanctions against Cuba, extending them to “agents, officials or persons providing material support to the government of Cuba”, those who support Cuban security forces, as well as those who are “involved in government corruption or serious human rights abuses”. And the next day, he joked that the US Navy could “call in to Cuba on the way home” after the operation against Iran.

CNN notes that similar situations, when the Trump administrationʼs increased rhetoric was accompanied by an increase in the number of reconnaissance flights, preceded the seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in early January 2026, as well as the start of the US operation in Iran in February.

What is happening between Cuba and the USA?

In late January, the US President Donald Trump declared a national emergency over Cuba and threatened tariffs on countries that supply it with oil. Trump accused Cuba of cooperating with hostile states to the US, including Russia, China and Iran, and of supporting the Hamas and Hezbollah groups.

According to him, Cuba allows Russian and Chinese intelligence and military facilities to be located on its territory, which monitor the US.

Trump also said that the Cuban government violates human rights, persecutes the opposition, restricts freedom of speech and suppresses civil society. He stressed that the United States "will not tolerate the actions of the communist regime in Cuba".

The Cuban government responded by declaring that the United States posed a threat to the country and declared an international emergency. The blockade caused a complete collapse of Cubaʼs energy system, with a blackout on the island as the country ran out of fuel for its power plants.

The authorities were forced to cancel classes, restrict the work of hospitals and transport. The crisis also sparked public protests, and airlines suspended flights to the island due to a shortage of jet fuel.

On March 6, Trump said that the Cuban government was “soon to fall” and that he wanted to make a deal with it. Trump also said that he intended to make US Secretary of State Marco Rubio his deputy in Cuba.

On March 19, the FT reported that Russia had sent two tankers carrying oil and gas to Cuba, despite US restrictions. These were the first fuel deliveries to the island in three months. Trump himself said he saw no problem with Russian oil supplies to Cuba.

Already on April 18, Axios, citing sources, wrote that a US State Department delegation visited Cuba on April 10 — the first time since President Barack Obamaʼs visit to the island in 2016.

For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine, please follow us on X.