Is the next war imminent? Cuba claims right to self-defense in US attack
In the event of a military attack by the United States, Cuba intends to exercise its "legitimate right to self-defense", according to the government. "The USA is the aggressor. Cuba is the attacked country that invokes the right to self-defense," wrote Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossio on the X platform.
17.05.2026, 20:24
18.05.2026, 08:58
SDA
This statement followed a report by the US news portal "Axios" on alleged preparations by the socialist-ruled island state to use drones against US targets in an emergency. Without referring directly to the report, the deputy minister criticized efforts to justify a US attack against the Caribbean state with "increasingly implausible accusations".
The Cuban embassy in Washington and the foreign ministry in Havana also reaffirmed Cuba's right to self-defense on X. Pretexts and lies were used to portray the "logical preparation" for a possible attack as something out of the ordinary, the embassy explained.
Report: Cuba has acquired more than 300 military drones
"Axios" reports that Cuba has acquired more than 300 military drones and recently began discussing plans to use them to attack the US base at Guantánamo Bay in Cuba, US military ships and possibly Key West in the US state of Florida, which is only around 170 kilometers from Havana. The US media is basing this on intelligence information it has received.
This information, which could serve as a pretext for US military action, shows the extent to which the government of US President Donald Trump sees Cuba as a threat, "Axios" quotes a high-ranking US official. In addition to the developments in drones, he also justified this with the presence of Iranian military advisors in Havana.
Decades of tense relations
However, the news portal also reports that US officials do not believe that Cuba is actively planning to attack US interests. US intelligence indicated that Cuba's military representatives were discussing plans for the use of drones in the event of hostilities.
Relations between the two countries have been tense since the revolution in 1959. Under Trump, they have become even more tense. With a series of new sanctions and an oil blockade, Trump has increased the pressure to force economic and political change in Cuba in the interests of the USA.
