The United States has intensified pressure on Cuba by targeting one of the island nation's most important sources of foreign revenue -- its overseas medical missions -- even as Washington remains embroiled in renewed military confrontation with Iran following fresh strikes on Iranian targets.
According to reports, the Trump administration has stepped up efforts to curb Cuba's long-running international medical programme, under which more than 24,000 Cuban doctors and healthcare workers serve in dozens of countries across Latin America, Africa and the Caribbean. The programme reportedly generated around $5.3 billion for Cuba in 2024, making it one of the country's biggest sources of foreign exchange.
The US alleges that the programme amounts to forced labour, claiming Cuban authorities retain a significant portion of doctors' earnings while restricting their freedoms. Washington has urged countries hosting Cuban medical teams to terminate or revise their agreements, warning of possible visa restrictions and sanctions.
Several countries, including Jamaica, Guatemala, the Bahamas and Honduras, have reportedly scaled back or ended cooperation with Cuba's medical missions. However, others such as Italy's Calabria region, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have defended the programme, saying Cuban doctors continue to play a crucial role in addressing healthcare shortages in underserved communities.
The latest move against Cuba comes as the US is simultaneously dealing with rapidly escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Fresh US airstrikes targeted multiple Iranian military installations after attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Iran to retaliate with strikes on US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait. Iranian media also claimed attacks on American-linked assets elsewhere in the Gulf region, further raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
The renewed hostilities have weakened a fragile ceasefire and disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical oil transit routes. Several commercial vessels reportedly altered their routes or suspended movement amid growing security concerns, fuelling fresh worries over global energy supplies and oil prices.
The simultaneous pressure on Cuba and renewed military action against Iran underscore Washington's increasingly assertive foreign policy, as geopolitical tensions continue to rise across multiple regions.
