U.S. Pentagon evaluates air‑assault plan against Cuba

U.S. Defense Department planners have examined a range of scenarios for a possible military operation against Cuba. Sources say the most detailed option involves a large‑scale air‑assault using the Army’s 101st Airborne Division, which could deploy thousands of troops to seize key targets on the island. The assessments are described as routine contingency planning and do not indicate that President Donald Trump or the Pentagon have made a decision to launch an attack. Officials stressed that the United States continues to rely on diplomatic pressure, sanctions and a push for a technocratic transition in Havana. The planning takes place while U.S. forces are heavily engaged in the conflict with Iran, limiting the resources that could be redirected to a Caribbean operation.