The US Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Nimitz has entered the Caribbean Sea along with its strike group, amid escalating tensions between the United States and Cuba, according to a report by The Hill. The deployment comes at a time when US President Donald Trump has sharply intensified rhetoric against Cuba, including renewed warnings of potential action against the island nation. The move has further heightened concerns over a possible military escalation in the region.
The strike group includes the Nimitz-class carrier along with its embarked air wing featuring F/A-18E Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers and C-2A Greyhounds. It is also accompanied by the destroyer USS Gridley and the replenishment oiler USNS Patuxent, forming a standard US carrier strike formation deployed for sustained maritime operations.
The US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), which oversees American military activity across the Caribbean and Latin America, confirmed the deployment, highlighting the carrier’s global operational record. The command described the vessel as a key asset in maintaining maritime stability across multiple regions, including the Indo-Pacific and Middle East corridors.
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The development comes amid heightened diplomatic friction following US actions against former Cuban President Raul Castro, who was recently charged by US authorities in connection with a 1996 incident involving the downing of civilian aircraft over international waters. The US administration has linked the legal action and broader policy measures to longstanding grievances with the Cuban government.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also reiterated Washington’s stance toward Cuba, while intelligence and diplomatic channels reportedly continue to remain active. According to officials cited in the report, CIA Director John Ratcliffe recently met Cuban representatives as part of ongoing, though increasingly strained, engagement efforts between the two countries.
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