General Francis Donovan, head of US Southern Command, met with Cuban military leaders on operational security issues near the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay, the AP reports.
This is the latest official to visit the island nation as President Donald Trump steps up pressure on its leaders.
Trump warned that Cuba "is next" after US military forces captured Venezuela's autocratic leader Nicolas Maduro in a raid in January. In the months since, the Trump administration has imposed an oil embargo on Cuba, maintained warships in the Caribbean, and indicted former Cuban President Raul Castro on federal charges.
Cuba's Revolutionary Armed Forces said in a statement that both sides had assessed "the meeting positively because it addressed security issues along the perimeter separating the military enclave and agreed to maintain communication between the two military commands."
Senior Trump aides, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, have also met with Cuban officials to discuss possible improvements in relations. But the US side has not been impressed by these talks, leading to more sanctions being imposed on the Cuban government.
In addition to the meeting, Donovan also assessed the security of the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay and discussed "the safety of service members and their families, as well as operational readiness with base officials," the US Southern Command said in a post on X.
The US maintains the base despite decades of friction with Cuba's socialist leaders, whom Trump wants removed from power.
The US military has several naval ships, including at least one landing ship, in the Caribbean, a much smaller force than it was during Maduro's attack.
On Friday, the Pentagon announced that a new unit of 1,300 sailors and Marines will replace the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, which was deployed in the region last summer.