By IMOGEN GARFINKEL – SENIOR FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER Published: 04:55 EST, 19 February 2026 | Updated: 05:00 EST, 19 February 2026 Iran carried out military drills with Russia on Thursday days after its unprecedented closure of the Strait of Hormuz in a fierce warning to US President Donald Trump, as tensions continued to escalate between the nations.The announcement of the joint naval exercises in the Gulf of Oman came as the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, arrived near the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea, joining other military assets the US has built up in the region.The drills follow Tuesday's Revolutionary…