Iran has seized another vessel near to the Strait of Hormuz for allegedly attempting to smuggle 250,000 litres of diesel fuel into the United Arab Emirates.

The oil tanker was intercepted by a naval patrol of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps near to Greater Tunb island in the Persian Gulf on Monday.

A crew of 11 have reportedly been 'handed over to legal authorities' in the Hormozgan Province, Iran's semi-official Students News agency ISNA reported.

'This boat was sailing from Bandar Lengeh towards United Arab Emirates waters before it was seized 20 miles east of Greater Tunb island,' Brigadier General Ali Ozmayi added. 'The boat's 11 crew members have been arrested'.

Iran 's Revolutionary Guards have seized a vessel in the Gulf for allegedly smuggling 250,000 litres of diesel fuel to the United Arab Emirates (Pictured: the Stena Impero, which was seized by Iran in July)

State television broadcast footage from the deck of a trawler-sized vessel, with open hatches showing tanks full of what appeared to be fuel.

It is the second such seizure this month, after a boat suspected of smuggling fuel was detained and its 12 Filipino crew members arrested in the Strait of Hormuz on September 7.

And in July, British ship Stena Impero was seized by Revolutionary Guards, setting the UK and Iran on a diplomatic collision course and leading to increased military patrols by western forces in the Gulf.

Today's development coincided with raised international tensions following a weekend attack on a major oil installation in Saudi Arabia, Tehran's longtime regional foe.

Ten drones launched by Iran-backed militants sparked a huge fire at the world's largest oil processing facility and a major oilfield in the early hours of Saturday.

A military spokesman for Yemen's Houthi rebels, considered an Iranian proxy force in the region, claimed responsibility for the attacks on Abqaiq and Khurais, which are run by state-owned oil giant Aramco.

In a televised address carried by the Houthi's Al-Masirah satellite news channel, Yahia Sarie warned that attacks by the rebels against the kingdom would only get worse if the war in Yemen continues.

Sarie said: 'The only option for the Saudi government is to stop attacking us.'

The reported seizure coincided with raised international tensions following a weekend attack on a major oil installation in Saudi Arabia (Pictured: Smoke is seen following a fire at an Aramco factory in Abqaiq)

Ten drones launched by Iran-backed militants sparked a huge fire at the world's largest oil processing facility and a major oilfield in the early hours of Saturday

On Sunday, Donald Trump said the US is 'locked and loaded' to respond to the attack - which cut into global energy supplies and halved the kingdom's oil production.

Trump said on Twitter that the country was waiting to hear from Saudi Arabia as to who they believe was behind the attack and 'under what terms we would proceed!'

His tweets followed a National Security Council meeting at the White House that included Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper.

A US official speaking on condition of anonymity said all options, including a military response, were on the table, but added that no decisions had been made.

Washington has also released new evidence to back up its allegation that Iran was responsible for the assault amid heightened tensions over Tehran's collapsing nuclear deal.

A military spokesman for Yemen's Houthi rebels, considered an Iranian proxy force in the region, claimed responsibility for the attacks on Abqaiq and Khurais

A satellite image provided by NASA Worldview shows fires following Yemen's Houthi rebels claiming a drone attack on two major oil installations in eastern Saudi Arabia

Hours earlier, senior US officials said satellite imagery and other intelligence showed the strike was inconsistent with one launched from Yemen, where Iranian-backed Houthi rebels had claimed responsibility.

Officials said the photos show impacts consistent with the attack coming from the direction of Iran or Iraq, rather than from Yemen to the south.

Iran, meanwhile, called Washington's claims 'maximum lies,' while a commander in its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard reiterated its forces could strike US military bases across the Middle East with their arsenal of ballistic missiles.

The US president also revealed he had approved the release of US strategic petroleum reserves 'if needed' to stabilise energy markets after the attack.

He said the drone strike could have an impact on oil prices and the final amount of the release, if any, would be 'sufficient to keep the markets well-supplied'.

The authorisation alone could help prevent a spike in oil prices after the attack led to the suspension of more than five per cent of the world's daily crude oil production.

On Sunday, Donald Trump said that his country is 'locked and loaded' to respond to the attack which cut into global energy supplies

Trump said on Twitter that the US was waiting to hear from the Saudis as to who they believe was behind the attack and 'under what terms we would proceed!

Earlier, Trump said he had approved the release of US strategic petroleum reserves 'if needed' to stabilise energy markets after the attack on Saudi Arabian facilities

Mr Trump later credited himself for expanding US energy exports in a Monday morning tweet, writing: 'We don't need Middle Eastern Oil & Gas, & in fact have very few tankers there, but will help our Allies!'

Iran, which has some of the world's cheapest fuel prices due to heavy subsidies and the fall of its national currency, has been fighting rampant fuel smuggling by land to neighbouring countries and by sea to Gulf Arab states.

Iran stepped up its fight against smuggling fuel earlier this month when its coast guards seized a vessel for smuggling fuel in the Gulf and detained its 12 Filipino crew members.

On July 19, Iran seized a British oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz for alleged marine violations, two weeks after British forces detained an Iranian tanker near Gibraltar.

The vessel was accused of taking oil to Syria, in violation of European Union sanctions. Iran's Adrian Darya 1, formerly Grace 1, was released last month.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Monday that the British-flagged Steno Impero oil tanker will be released soon.

The latest reported ship seizure by Iran follows a series of incidents involving shipping in and near the Gulf after US sanctions on Iranian oil exports took full effect in May.