US reconnaissance flights have increased sharply off the coast of Cuba, CNN reported, citing its own analysis of open aviation data.
Since February 4, the US Navy and Air Force have carried out at least 25 such missions. CNN notes that until February, almost no such activity had been recorded in this area.
Most of the flights took place near the two largest cities in Cuba – Havana and Santiago de Cuba. The bulk of the flights were carried out by a P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft, designed for surveillance and reconnaissance. Specialized electronic reconnaissance RC-135V Rivet Joints and several MQ-4C Triton high-altitude reconnaissance drones were also used.
The Pentagon declined to comment.
CNN notes that similar situations in which the Trump administration’s increased rhetoric were accompanied by an increase in the number of reconnaissance flights that preceded the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in early January 2026, as well as the start of the American operation in Iran in February.
In recent weeks, Trump’s public statements against Cuba have become noticeably harsher, CNN reports. The US President reposted a comment on social media in which he said that he would visit “Free Havana” before leaving office. A few days later, Trump ordered an oil blockade on the island.
The crisis in relations between the United States and Cuba worsened with the return of Donald Trump to the presidency in 2025. Since the beginning of 2026, Washington has increased pressure on Cuba and effectively imposed a blockade on fuel supplies by sea. This led to a severe energy crisis and power outages across the island. Trump himself has repeatedly said that the Cuban government has “big problems” and that the United States is ready for a “friendly takeover.”