US vice presidential candidates promise to support Israel in head-to-head debate

During Tuesday's vice presidential debate, Democrat Tim Walz questioned Republican Donald Trump’s stability, suggesting the former president’s decision to pull the US out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 worsened tensions in the Middle East.

Walz linked the instability to Trump’s actions, arguing, “Iran is closer to a nuclear weapon because of Donald Trump’s fickle leadership.”

JD Vance, Walz's Republican opponent, responded by defending Trump’s decision, claiming that Trump's “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran had bolstered global security.

He expressed support for Israel's right to pre-emptively strike Iran if deemed necessary, saying, “We should support our allies... when they are fighting the bad guys.”

Both candidates reaffirmed their commitment to Israel’s security, though experts caution that the US's unconditional support for Israel might be exacerbating regional tensions.