U.S. Steps Up 25 Cuba Surveillance Flights as Senate Republicans Warn Against New War
Updated
Updated · AlterNet · May 13
U.S. Steps Up 25 Cuba Surveillance Flights as Senate Republicans Warn Against New War
5 articles · Updated · AlterNet · May 13
At least 25 U.S. surveillance flights have operated near Cuba since early February, with Navy and Air Force aircraft concentrating around Havana and Santiago de Cuba and fueling speculation about a possible military move.
The buildup follows Trump’s public talk of taking over Cuba and comes as Pentagon activity intensifies, including P-8, RC-135 and MQ-4 missions that officials say are meant to signal to Havana that Washington is watching.
Senate Republicans are increasingly pushing back, with John Thune, James Lankford, Rand Paul and Shelley Moore Capito arguing the administration should focus on Iran and use economic pressure on Cuba instead of strikes.
Budget strain is sharpening that resistance: the Iran war is expected to consume the Pentagon’s $150 billion boost by the end of 2026, and the administration is weighing an additional $80 billion to $100 billion defense request.
With U.S. spy planes circling Cuba, is the Caribbean on the brink of a new military conflict?
How are AI-powered drones changing the decades-long intelligence game between the United States and Cuba?
Can Cuba's government survive this unprecedented U.S. pressure campaign, or is a collapse now imminent?