The New York Times reported on the 20th that US military officials said the crew members of the Iranian cargo ship, forcibly detained by US forces in the Gulf of Oman the previous day, will soon return to Iran.
Citing US military officials, the report noted that a detachment of US Marines is searching up to 5,000 containers aboard the cargo ship. Once the search is completed, US officials will decide what to do with the vessel, which has already been disabled.
According to expert analysis, one possible handling option is to tow the cargo ship to Oman; another is, if the ship is still seaworthy, to allow it to sail to a port in Iran.
US Central Command stated on the 19th that US forces fired on an Iranian cargo ship attempting to break the blockade and sail to Iran's Abbas Port, disabling its propulsion. US Marines then boarded and took control of the vessel.
On the 20th, US Central Command also issued a statement on social media, saying that since US forces imposed a blockade on Iranian ports and coastal areas, 27 ships have been ordered to turn back or return to Iranian ports.