U.S. lacks grounds to attack Cuba, says Cuban diplomat

HAVANA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The United States has no grounds to launch an attack against Cuba, Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio said Wednesday, warning such a move would cause death and destruction.

"Isn't there a lack of grounds to justify killing, maiming, and causing destruction and misery, in addition to running the certain risk of losing lives on their own side?" Fernandez de Cossio wrote on X in response to a report by U.S. magazine Politico.

The official accused the magazine of encouraging Washington to go to war and criticized it for claiming that the U.S. military was prepared to attack Cuba and only awaited "a final go-ahead from Donald Trump."

According to the Politico report published Wednesday, "the Pentagon has spent months positioning the troops and weapons needed for the United States to launch a military attack on Cuba."

Since the beginning of 2026, the United States has announced new measures against Cuba, including restrictions targeting countries that supply oil to the island and additional sanctions against Cuban entities and officials.

The U.S. Southern Command announced on May 20 that the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, including the aircraft carrier, its carrier air wing, and at least one guided-missile destroyer, had arrived in the Caribbean. It was on the same day when the U.S. Department of Justice indicted Cuban Revolution leader Raul Castro over his alleged role in the 1996 downing of two planes operated by the anti-Castro group Brothers to the Rescue.

International media have also recently reported an increase in U.S. surveillance and intelligence flights near Cuba.