A minute’s silence for victims of the Air India plane disaster was held on Saturday at a London birthday parade for King Charles III, in which some members of the royal family also wore black arm bands.

The king, 76, requested amendments to the parade, known as Trooping the Colour, “as a mark of respect for the lives lost, the families in mourning and all the communities affected by this awful tragedy”, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said.

A total 279 people, including passengers, crew and people on the ground, died on Thursday when a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London’s Gatwick Airport crashed on take-off from Ahmedabad in eastern India.

The victims included 52 Britons. A sole survivor has been named as British man Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, from the central English city of Leicester.

In a written message after the disaster, Charles said he was “desperately shocked by the terrible events” and expressed his “deepest possible sympathy”.

Trooping the Colour, a minutely choreographed military tradition dating back more than two centuries, marks the British sovereign’s official birthday.

It starts at Buckingham Palace and moves down The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, where Charles receives a royal salute before inspecting soldiers.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the palace and along The Mall to watch the spectacle.

They included a small group of anti-monarchist protesters with yellow placards reading “not my king” and “down with the crown”.

Charles, who is still undergoing weekly treatment for an unspecified cancer, was accompanied by Queen Camilla for the parade.

Also present were heir Prince William, 42, his wife Catherine, also known as Kate, and their three children: George, 11, Charlotte, 10 and Louis, seven.

Britain’s Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, has expressed deep concern over the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, following a series of overnight strikes that resulted in multiple casualties.


“Alarmed by further strikes in the Middle East overnight, with reports of fatalities and injuries in Israel, Lammy said in a post on X, ”We must urgently de-escalate & prevent any further harm to civilians.”

Lammy also confirmed speaking with Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, to “urge calm” amid growing international calls for restraint.


At least three civilians were killed and 70 others wounded in Iranian ballistic missile barrages that targeted central Israel.

Tehran has not yet released an updated casualty figure from the Israeli strikes that hit military and nuclear facilities across Iran.

According to The Times of London, the UK was not notified in advance of Israel’s initial strike on Iran.

Various countries of the world are reacting to Israel’s strikes on Iran, with many criticizing the move.


It was reported that Israel in the early hours of Friday carried out dozens of airstrikes on Iran.

Israeli military said a “pre-emptive, precise, combined offensive based on high-quality intelligence” had been launched – called Operation Rising Lion.


China

China’s embassy in Iran called the situation in Iran severe and complex.

It urged Chinese citizens in the country to closely monitor developments and step up their own security precautions.


United States

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio said the US was not involved in Israel’s strikes.

Rubio added in a statement that “our top priority is protecting American forces in the region.”


United Nations

On his part, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned any military escalation in the Middle East.

A spokesperson for the UN chief said in a statement reported by Reuters that Guterres urged both sides to exercise restraint.


India

India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the country was closely monitoring the evolving situation.

It urged both sides to avoid escalation. He said India had “close and friendly” relations with both Israel and Iran.

Saudi Arabia

However, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the development.

It described the attack as blatant Israeli aggression, saying it undermines Iran’s sovereignty and security and constitutes a clear violation of international laws and norms.