HAVANA, Cuba (AFP) — Cuba’s leader warned Monday of a “bloodbath” in the event of an American attack, and the United States (US) Treasury issued sanctions targeting Cuba’s main intelligence agency and top leaders as tensions spiked between the longtime rivals.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel stressed the island’s right to defend itself a day after US news site Axios reported that Havana had obtained over 300 military drones from Russia and Iran and is mulling using them against a US base at Guantanamo Bay in eastern Cuba, among other targets.

The report, which quoted US intelligence officials, came amid growing speculation that the United States is weighing military action to topple Cuba’s communist government.