1,300 More US Marines, Sailors Join Caribbean Buildup as Pressure on Cuba Mounts

These U.S. troops join others already in the region, amid continuing counter-drug operations and mounting diplomatic pressure on Havana.

U.S. Marines assigned to Littoral Combat Force-24, approach a UH-1Y Venom helicopter during a maritime interdiction rehearsal aboard USS Fort Lauderdale, while underway in the Caribbean Sea, on May 22, 2026. U.S. Marine Corps

A force of about 1,300 U.S. Marines and sailors has begun operating in the Caribbean Sea, joining a larger U.S. force presence in the area.

The deployment expands on existing U.S. military operations in the region and comes at a period of rising U.S. diplomatic pressure on Cuba.