A forensic official (L) takes pictures of a damaged Israeli embassy car after an explosion in New Delhi, Feb. 13, 2012. Photo: Reuters / Parivartan Sharma.

Israel is a country facing multiple threats, but recently security forces have begun to concentrate on the possibility of terror attacks and other forms of violence against Israeli diplomats and officials overseas.

According to the Israeli news site Mako, members of the foreign service are being protected by the Security Division of the Foreign Ministry, which for the first time has begun to deploy armed security guards to diplomatic missions.

The guards are trained by Israel’s domestic security service, the Shin Bet. The training includes firearms, urban warfare and the Israeli martial art Krav Maga.

Control over the Security Division remains in Jerusalem, but cooperation with local security forces is considered extremely important. The Shin Bet and the Mossad also coordinate with overseas intelligence agencies in order to prevent attacks before they occur.

The head of the Security Division, identified only as “R,” was quoted as saying, “We take into account that there is a threat to every mission in the world and all emissaries when we provide a security answer.”

“Terror runs the gamut from institutional terror to individual terror, and you never know when it will meet you,” he added.

“R” stated that the Security Division operated as a “hunter” rather than a “fisherman,” taking a proactive approach to threats.

“We search for the adversary and don’t wait for him to fall into our net,” he said.

The division believes there are number of possible events that could lead to attacks on Israelis overseas, including escalations on the Gaza border, riots on the Temple Mount, fighting in Israel’s north or the assassination of terrorist leaders.