The Pentagon is considering several scenarios for military action against Cuba, including a landing of "thousands" of troops from the 101st Airborne Division on the island, CBS News reported on Wednesday, July 15, citing several American officials. According to them, discussions of such plans have been ongoing for the past few weeks, but the military has not yet made a final decision. Earlier, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had suggested the possibility of a forceful solution to the Cuban issue. In June, he warned that attempts by Havana to acquire weapons threatening the U.S. would lead to confrontation. Intelligence reports indicate that Cuba has purchased over 300 drones for potential strikes against the Guantanamo base, U.S. Navy ships, and Florida territory. ## ## Iran diverts Pentagon resources At the same time, CBS News sources believe that an operation against Cuba in the near future is unlikely—too many of the Pentagon's forces and resources are engaged in the renewed war against Iran. Moreover, President Donald Trump's team prefers to achieve a change of power in Cuba through economic and diplomatic leverage. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly stated that Washington would prefer to see a technocratic government in Havana focused on reforms. However, on July 11, he acknowledged that the Cuban leadership and its "corrupt elite" are not changing course, remaining loyal to a "morally bankrupt Marxist ideology" and maintaining "total control" over the state. In May, CIA Director John Ratcliffe visited Cuba. He promised to expand cooperation in exchange for deep reforms by the island's authorities and reminded the Cuban side of the operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, showing one of the participants in that operation. ## ## Energy blockade of the island With Trump's return to the White House, Washington has significantly increased pressure on Havana, once again including Cuba on the list of state sponsors of terrorism. In January 2026, the American leader declared a state of emergency, citing a national security threat from Cuba, and organized an energy blockade of the island. In May, Cuban authorities acknowledged the critical state of the national energy system. Trump has repeatedly spoken about the inevitable collapse of the Cuban regime, promising to address this issue seriously after he "deals with" Iran. The Wall Street Journal reported that Washington intends to achieve a change of power in Cuba by the end of 2026. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel stated that the country is ready to resist in the event of a U.S. invasion. "We will fight, we will defend ourselves, and if we are destined to fall in battle, then to die for the homeland means to live," he said.