ByREUTERS

Four people were killed, and seven others were wounded after a speedboat from Florida entered Cuban waters on Wednesday and opened fire on Cuban forces, who returned fire, Cuba's Interior Ministry said.

All four dead were aboard the Florida-based speedboat, and another six were injured, Cuba said. In addition, the Cuban commander of a border patrol boat was wounded, Cuba said.

The wounded foreign attackers were evacuated and received medical attention, Cuba said.

A man stands next to a mural depicting Argentine-born revolutionary leader Ernesto ''Che'' Guevara reading ''Until victory, always.'' in Havana on February 25, 2026.
A man stands next to a mural depicting Argentine-born revolutionary leader Ernesto ''Che'' Guevara reading ''Until victory, always.'' in Havana on February 25, 2026. (credit: YAMIL LAGE/AFP via Getty Images)

Current US-Cuba tensions

The incident took place amid heightened tension between Cuba and the United States, which has blocked virtually all oil shipments to the island, increasing pressure on the Communist-run government. American forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on January 3, removing a key Cuban ally from power.

"Faced with the current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its commitment to protecting its territorial waters, based on the principle that national defense is a fundamental pillar for the Cuban state in safeguarding its sovereignty and stability in the region," the Cuban statement said.