At least six new suspected “Havana Syndrome” cases involving U.S. government personnel are reportedly receiving treatment at Walter Reed near Washington, D.C.
The patients have confirmed or suspected brain injuries associated with what the government formally calls Anomalous Health Incidents, or AHIs.
Investigative journalist Catherine Herridge reported that the cases have emerged since the summer and involve treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Walter Reed houses the National Intrepid Center of Excellence, which specializes in traumatic brain injuries and has treated personnel reporting anomalous health incidents.
The developments are particularly notable because the reported incidents occurred inside the United States rather than at diplomatic postings overseas.
Herridge previously reported more than two dozen suspected directed-energy incidents inside the United States, including a cluster at a Northern Virginia government facility.
At least two senior government personnel working on directed-energy-related projects have also reported suspected incidents around Washington in recent months, Herridge reported.
One of those individuals reportedly works for the Department of War, while another works within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Some of the people involved in the latest cases were reportedly working on research involving directed-energy technology and related government projects.
The circumstances have intensified questions about whether an adversary could be using some form of directed-energy technology against American personnel on U.S. soil.
However, investigators have not publicly established what caused the reported injuries or identified any foreign government or other party as responsible.
The U.S. government is reportedly investigating whether a foreign entity could be connected to the incidents, but no definitive attribution has been announced.
“Havana Syndrome” became widely known after American diplomats and intelligence personnel in Cuba reported mysterious neurological symptoms beginning in 2016.
Subsequent incidents were reported by American government personnel and their relatives in numerous countries, creating a years-long intelligence and medical mystery.
Reported symptoms have included tinnitus, dizziness, vertigo, blurred vision and other neurological problems, sometimes following unusual sounds or intense sensations.
The federal government generally refers to the incidents as AHIs because the precise cause and relationship among reported cases remain disputed.
The latest cases reportedly contain several unusual details that investigators could examine as they search for an explanation.
Some suspected victims reported seeing suspicious vehicles nearby before experiencing sudden shocks, disorientation or other symptoms, according to Herridge’s reporting.
Others told Herridge that their dogs appeared to react to something unusual before the individuals themselves realized anything was happening.
“I’ve had people tell me that they’ve been walking their dogs” when the animals suddenly reacted, Herridge said.
Those accounts remain allegations from suspected victims and do not independently establish that a weapon or deliberate attack caused their symptoms.
Walter Reed did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the reported new patients, according to the Daily Caller News Foundation.
The latest reports arrive amid renewed scrutiny of how intelligence agencies have investigated Havana Syndrome and communicated their findings to Congress and affected personnel.
For years, intelligence agencies have struggled to determine whether the incidents represent deliberate attacks, environmental causes, unrelated medical problems or some combination of explanations.
A 2023 intelligence assessment concluded that a foreign adversary was “very unlikely” to be responsible for the broad collection of reported incidents.
However, that assessment did not end the controversy, particularly among affected government personnel and lawmakers who argued that some cases warranted additional investigation.
A separate 2024 investigation by The Insider, CBS News’ “60 Minutes” and Der Spiegel reported evidence potentially connecting Russian military intelligence personnel to some incidents.
That reporting focused particularly on members of Russia’s GRU Unit 29155 and their potential proximity to suspected incidents involving American personnel.
Questions have also persisted on Capitol Hill, where the House Intelligence Committee has investigated the government’s response to affected personnel.
Former State Department official Mark Lenzi wrote last week that he testified before the committee about alleged microwave attacks and the government’s handling of victims.
