Cuba’s Interior Ministry has reported that armed individuals detained after a shootout with border guards confessed during preliminary interrogations that they intended to infiltrate Cuban territory for terrorist purposes.

In a statement published on social media, the ministry said the neutralized Florida-registered speedboat, identified as FL7726SH, was carrying 10 armed individuals.

Cuba’s coast guard fatally shot four individuals and wounded six others who were traveling aboard a US-registered illegal speedboat during an exchange of gunfire in Cuban waters, the Interior Ministry in Havana said Wednesday.

In a statement posted on X by the Cuban Embassy in Washington, Cuba’s Interior Ministry said, "On the morning of February 25, 2026, an illegal speedboat was detected in the territorial waters of Cuba. The vessel, registered in Florida, USA, number FL7726SH, approached to within one nautical mile [from the shore] of Villa Clara province."

When a Cuban patrol boat with five Border Guard personnel approached the speedboat to verify the identities of those on board, the ministry said the crew opened fire, striking and injuring the Cuban commander of the patrol vessel.

Clash leaves four dead, six wounded

The ministry’s statement added, “As a consequence of the confrontation, as of the time of this report, four aggressors on the foreign vessel were killed and six injured.” Those wounded were evacuated and given medical assistance, the statement said.

"It has been established that the neutralized Florida-registered speedboat FL7726SH was carrying 10 armed individuals who, according to preliminary testimony from the detainees, intended to infiltrate for terrorist purposes," the ministry said.

Note from the Ministry of the Interior:

On the morning of February 25, 2026, a violating speedboat was detected within Cuban territorial waters. The vessel, registered in Florida, United States, with registration number FL7726SH, approached up to 1 nautical mile northeast of the… pic.twitter.com/AEmwtAZ4lO

— Cuban Embassy in US (@EmbaCubaUS) February 25, 2026

The shooting took place against the backdrop of heightened tensions between the United States and Cuba. Havana has been grappling with a deepening fuel crisis, which officials and analysts say has been worsened by US actions that have limited Venezuelan oil shipments to the island, Venezuela being a longstanding ally in the region.

In its statement, the Cuban Ministry alluded to these broader strains, saying that “in the face of current challenges, Cuba reaffirms its determination to protect its territorial waters” and safeguard its sovereignty.

Rubio says Washington reviewing the incident

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington is reviewing information related to the incident involving a US vessel near Cuba and will conduct its own assessment of what occurred.

“The important thing is that we’re going to have our own information on this and we’re going to figure out exactly what happened. And there are a number of things that could have happened here,” Rubio said during a press conference.

Rubio confirmed that the United States had received information from Cuban authorities regarding the incident, but stressed that Washington would independently verify the details.

'Highly unusual' incident

"It is highly unusual to see shootouts and open sea like that. It's not something that happens every day. It's something frankly that hasn't happened with Cuba," Rubio added.

The remarks follow reports of a confrontation involving a US-flagged vessel off Cuba’s coast. Authorities in Havana previously said the vessel had entered Cuban waters and exchanged fire with border guards.