What is "Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)", sometimes seen in the news?

* THAAD is a missile defense system developed by the United States to intercept and destroy short, medium, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles during their terminal phase of flight. * It is designed to defend against threats both within and outside the Earth's atmosphere, providing protection against potential missile attacks. * THAAD has been deployed by the United States military and has also been sold to allied countries such as South Korea and Saudi Arabia.