Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay said Sunday that his law enforcement agency has not been contacted by any state or federal agencies regarding any possible Cuban military threat to Key West.
“I am monitoring the situation, but I have not been contacted by any government agency and I don’t believe there is any reason to be concerned,” said Ramsay in a statement.
“I am confident I will be notified if anything does change and I will alert the public," Ramsay added.
Ramsay's statement was issued following a report earlier Sunday by Axios. The media outlet reported that the Cuban government was acquiring hundreds of drones and is discussing using them to potentially attack the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, American military vessels, and Key West, which is just 90 miles from Havana.
A senior U.S. official told Axios that the intelligence highlights the degree to which the Trump administration views the island as a growing threat due to advancements in drone warfare and the presence of Iranian military advisers in Havana.
In a written statement posted to X, the Cuban Embassy in Washington defended its right to military readiness.
"Like any country, Cuba has the right to defend itself against external aggression. It is called self-defense, and it is protected by International Law and the UN Charter," the embassy posted on X.
A top Cuban government official wrote on X that "#Cuba neither threatens nor desires war."
The Axios report comes amid intensifying diplomatic and military pressure from Washington on Cuba.
