Chuck Hagel grilled in Senate confirmation hearing

Defence Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel has talked tough on Iran while pledging to support a strong Israeli military, at a testy confirmation hearing.

Members of the Senate armed services committee are questioning Mr Hagel, who has been accused of remarks hostile to Israel and soft on Iran.

There was a heated exchange between Senator John McCain and Mr Hagel when the Pentagon nominee was asked about a remark he once made that bolstering troop levels during the Iraq war was "the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam".

Mr Hagel replied that he would "let history decide".