The U.S. Justice Department unseals and announces a federal indictment charging former Cuban President Raúl Castro in connection with the 1996 shootdown of two civilian planes operated by the Miami-based exile group Brothers to the Rescue. The indictment is tied to the deaths of four people, described by U.S. officials as unarmed civilian crew or passengers who were flying humanitarian missions over the Florida straits. Authorities also charge additional defendants, including five fighter jet pilots, and other members of the Castro government, according to reports summarizing the superseding indictment. Prosecutors say the charges include murder and related counts such as destruction of an aircraft. The announcement is made in Miami with top Justice Department officials present, including Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who states that families of the victims have waited nearly 30 years for justice. Coverage also frames the move as part of the Trump administration’s effort to escalate pressure on the Cuban government. The reports characterize the indictment as reviving a longstanding U.S.-Cuba dispute dating back to one of the most lethal incidents in the relationship.