The US State Department placed on Wednesday two Egyptian terrorist groups, Hasm and Lewaa Al-Thawra, on its terror list, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement.

The US also put the head of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, Ismail Haniya, on its terror blacklist and has hit him with sanctions.

The US government also placed sanctions on Harakat Al-Sabireen, a small Iran-affiliated militant group that splintered from the Islamic Jihad and operates in Gaza, according to the US Secretary of State.

"These designations target key terrorist groups and leaders – including two sponsored and directed by Iran – who are threatening the stability of the Middle East, undermining the peace process, and attacking our allies Egypt and Israel," Tillerson said in a statement.

The Egyptian government has linked Hasm and Lewaa Al-Thawra with the Muslim Brotherhood group, which is banned and designated a terrorist organisation in Egypt.

Hasm and Lewaa Al-Thawra have claimed responsibility for several terrorist attacks in Egypt that have killed dozens of police and army personnel.