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Cuba’s foreign ministry and top diplomats in Washington and London have rejected an Axios report citing unverified classified U.S. intelligence, calling the story "fabricated."
The report alleged that Cuba had acquired more than 300 military drones and discussed possible plans to use them against the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, U.S. military vessels and possibly Key West, Florida.
Axios, citing classified U.S. intelligence assessments, reported that Cuba had acquired attack drones of varying capabilities from Russia and Iran since 2023, placed them in strategic locations across the island, and had recently sought additional drones and military equipment from Russia.
A senior U.S. official also alleged a senior Iranian official had been attempting to teach Cuba how to be "more resistant."
U.S. intelligence does not believe Cuba is preparing an imminent attack.
Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez wrote on X: "Without any legitimate excuse, the US government builds, day after day, a fraudulent case to justify the ruthless economic war against the Cuban people and eventual military aggression."
"Cuba neither threatens nor desires war. It defends peace and prepares itself to confront external aggression in exercising the legitimate right to self-defense recognized by the UN Charter," he added.
Cuba's embassy in Washington said, "Like any country, Cuba has the right to defend itself against external aggression. It is called self-defense, and it is protected by International Law and the UN Charter."
Cuba's embassy in London rejected the Axios report directly: "Axios fabricates a 'drone threat,' only to confess paragraphs later: 'US officials don't believe Cuba is actively planning to attack.' This contradictory disinformation is a transparent, ludicrous pretext to justify US hostility."
Cuba's ambassador to the U.S., Lianys Torres Rivera, told The Hill that Cubans were "preparing to defend ourselves, not in an offensive way," and warned that any U.S. invasion "could be a bloodbath."
She said Cuba wanted only "to be left alone to decide our future in the way that Cubans want."
CIA Director Ratcliffe traveled to Cuba on Thursday and warned Cuban officials against any hostile action, according to a CIA official cited by Axios.
Ratcliffe also urged Cuban authorities to abandon their current political system as a condition for ending U.S. sanctions.
"Director Ratcliffe made clear that Cuba can no longer serve as a platform for adversaries to advance hostile agendas in our hemisphere," the CIA official said.
Axios reported the Department of Justice is expected to unseal an indictment against Cuba's de facto leader Raul Castro over allegations he ordered the 1996 shootdown of two aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue, a Miami-based aid group.
Additional sanctions against Cuba are also expected this week. U.S. officials have also raised separate concerns about Russian and Chinese signals intelligence facilities in Cuba.
Hegseth told a congressional hearing Tuesday, "We are concerned, as we have been for a long time, that a foreign adversary using a location this close to our shores is extremely problematic."
"No one's worried about fighter jets from Cuba. It's not even clear they have one that can fly. But it's worth noting how close they are, 90 miles. It's not a reality we are comfortable with," one senior U.S. official told Axios.
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