Overview
- Trump, in a post Tuesday, said Cuba is asking for help and that Washington will talk with Havana, without detailing the scope or timing of the contacts.
- Open-source trackers have logged at least 25 U.S. Navy and Air Force intelligence flights since February 4 near Havana and Santiago, some within about 40 miles of the coast, using P-8A patrol planes, an RC-135V signals jet, and MQ-4C drones, and the Pentagon declined to comment.
- NBC News reported the Pentagon has updated contingency plans for possible action if ordered, citing current and former officials, though there is no public authorization or confirmed strike.
- U.S. pressure includes a near-total petroleum cutoff begun in January and broader sanctions expanded May 1, with fresh penalties on the military-run conglomerate Gaesa that U.N. experts warned could worsen access to energy and basic services.
- Cuba has filed a complaint at the World Trade Organization and warned of severe consequences, while Canadian miner Sherritt suspended operations, highlighting the strain on the island’s economy and daily life.