The United States is preparing to indict former Cuban leader Raúl Castro over the 1996 downing of aircraft operated by an exile group, according to sources familiar with the matter. The potential indictment would need approval from a grand jury before proceeding.

The charges are expected to focus on Cuba's actions in shooting down two planes operated by a humanitarian organization in 1996. Castro, 94, is the younger brother of longtime Cuban leader Fidel Castro and served as Cuba's president from 2008 to 2018.

The development comes as CIA Director John Ratcliffe conducted meetings with Cuban officials in Havana. The timing of the CIA chief's visit alongside news of the potential indictment suggests ongoing tensions in US-Cuba relations.

The 1996 incident involved the downing of aircraft operated by an exile group, though specific details about the humanitarian mission and circumstances of the shootdown were not immediately available from the sources. The case appears to represent a significant escalation in US legal action against former Cuban leadership.

Raúl Castro stepped down from his official leadership role in Cuba several years ago but remained an influential figure in the country's political structure. Any formal indictment would mark a notable shift in how the US pursues accountability for historical incidents involving Cuban leadership.