The US military has significantly increased the number of reconnaissance flights off the coast of Cuba, CNN reported, citing sources.
According to the news agency, since February 4, the US Air Force and Navy have carried out at least 25 flights off the coast of the island, most of them near Havana and Santiago de Cuba.
The US military has mainly used the P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft for these missions. In addition, flights were carried out by an RC-135V Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft and MQ-4C Triton drones.
On March 5, US President Donald Trump announced that Washington intends to work on developing a future course of action regarding Cuba after the military operation against Iran is concluded.
He has previously repeatedly claimed that Cuba's government and economy are close to collapse after Venezuela cut off oil supplies to the island nation under pressure from the US.
On February 27, Trump announced that the United States could “establish friendly control over Cuba“.
On March 13, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel announced that Havana and Washington had held talks aimed at finding dialogue-based solutions to bilateral differences.
Meanwhile, as Axios reported in February, Citing sources, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has secretly discussed the island's future with Raul Castro's grandson, Raul Guillermo Rodríguez Castro.