Trump’s attack on Cuba is imminent: These are the combat ships and aircraft carrier operating in the Caribbean

The Trump administration has made no secret about its intentions toward Cuba, seeking to topple its Communist regime. Since carrying out an attack on Venezuela to capture former President Nicolas Maduro, the White House has put a stranglehold on shipments of oil and gas to the Caribbean island that sits just 90 miles off the Florida coast.

Then on May 20, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted former Cuban leader Raúl Castro on murder and conspiracy charges. That same day, the U.S. Southern Command announced that the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, along with her carrier strike group including the Carrier Air Wing 17, and escort ships USS Gridley, and USNS Patuxent, had entered the Caribbean.

U.S. positions military assets to encircle Cuba

While the naval forces are smaller than they were in the runup to seizing Maduro, the Navy has been positioning assets to encircle Cuba. These include Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, a pair of guided-missile cruisers and fighter jets stationed in Florida and Puerto Rico.

While some of the naval assets are due to return to port, others could be ready to replace them like the USS Kearsarge amphibious ships and escorts, along with their 2,500 Marines.

Politico reports that there are concerns that crews are being overextended with deployments going far beyond the typical six to seven months at sea. Additionally, back-to-back deployments create problems for refitting and repairing the vessels once they do return home, a defense official told the outlet.

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