Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a special meeting on Wednesday to discuss ways of handling the threat posed by the Islamic State (IS) on Israel, an Israeli official said.

The meeting was attended by high-ranking officials from the ministries of justice, public security, police, the Shin Bet Security Agency and national defense. The focus of the discussions was how to prevent the development of future IS militant cells through legal means, the official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Another Israeli official told the Ha'aretz daily that the meeting was a "proactive step" that would allow Israel to operate through law enforcement measures to prevent the development of militant cells among Palestinians and Arab Israelis, including halting the transfer of funds to local militant groups and taking legal action against them.

Law enforcement officials were instructed to step up their measures against extremist activities, including those online.

The discussion also tackled possible threat posed by other extreme Islamist factors, such as the organizations associated with al-Qaida in the Sinai Peninsula of neighboring Egypt.

The meeting was held just several hours before US President Barack Obama is set to deliver a statement to the American people regarding the upcoming international coalition to fight the IS in Iraq.

A week ago, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon said the IS is an " unauthorized organization," making it easier for the Israeli authorities to act against militant cells in the country.