What is the THAAD antimissile system?

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is a state-of-the-art anti-missile defense system developed by the United States.

Why in news: The US is deploying a THAAD to Israel to bolster its air defenses following a missile attack from Iran.

Purpose: THAAD is designed to intercept and destroy short, medium, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles during their terminal phase of flight.

Components: The system includes a radar, command and control unit, and interceptors. The radar detects and tracks incoming missiles, the command unit processes the data, and the interceptors are launched to destroy the threat.

Operation: A THAAD battery typically requires about 100 troops to operate.