US federal prosecutors indicted former Cuban president Raúl Castro on murder charges for the 1996 shooting down of exile planes, signaling a potential escalation toward military action against Cuba.The indictment comes amid heightened US pressure on Cuba following the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, with Trump administration officials refusing to rule out forceful extradition.Cuban leadership and residents dismiss the charges and warn of resistance, intensifying tensions between Washington and Havana.Relations between the two nations continue to deteriorate as strict economic sanctions and an oil blockade cripple the island's energy infrastructure.