The administration of U. S. President Donald Trump is not ruling out the use of force to bring down the Cuban government, Semafor reported, citing unnamed American officials and political allies of the White House chief.

According to the outlet, a military scenario is being treated as a last resort, to be considered only if economic and diplomatic pressure fails to produce results. Semafor wrote that the Trump administration is intensifying pressure on Cuba while also signaling that military action remains possible if the current approach collapses entirely.

The report says Washington is now tightening sanctions against Cuba and expanding the blockade. Those measures have already left the country facing shortages of oil and diesel fuel. The aim of the campaign, according to the article, is to force the Cuban authorities to enter negotiations.

Republican Senator Rick Scott, who maintains contacts with U.S. officials on Cuba-related issues, told the outlet that he does not believe the administration will have to use the military. At the same time, he argued that Washington should not rule out any possible course of action in advance.

A White House representative also told Semafor that U.S. authorities are prepared to consider tough steps toward Havana. In this context, the outlet noted that Cuba remains on the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Earlier, Politico reported that the United States was preparing military plans to overthrow the Cuban government. According to that account, Trump’s administration is dissatisfied that economic pressure has not pushed Havana into agreeing to serious economic and political reforms.

Washington had expected sanctions and the oil blockade to intimidate the Cuban authorities and force them into a deal. That did not happen, according to the report. As a result, the United States is preparing a military operation, with Pentagon options ranging from a single airstrike to a ground invasion.