The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense or THAAD is a missile defense system. It uses missile to stop missiles.

战区高空区域防御系统(简称THAAD)是一个用于阻止导弹的导弹防御系统。

And the U.S. has deployed the first components of a THAAD system to South Korea. Why? Because North Korea, which is a rival of both the South and the U.S., has been test-launching missiles of its own lately and the THAAD system could potentially be used in self-defense.

美国已经将THAAD的第一部分组件部署到了韩国。朝鲜是美国和韩国共同的敌人。近期朝鲜一直在测试自己的导弹发射系统，THAAD系统可以用于自卫。

In a clear example of how tensions have been rising in the Korean Peninsula and abroad, China is getting involved in this. It`s North Korea`s only real ally in the world and it`s telling North Korea to suspend its nuclear weapons program which other countries consider illegal. The Chinese officials are also strongly opposed to the U.S. sending a THAAD system to South Korea. They believe it could be used to monitor potential missile launches from China as well.

很明显朝鲜半岛以及周围的紧张局势一直在加剧。中国也涉猎其中。中国向朝鲜表示，希望其终止研发核武器，其他国家认为朝鲜研发核武器是违法的。中国官员强烈反对美国在韩国部署THAAD系统。因为该系统也可能会监测来自中国的导弹。

How exactly does a THAAD system work and could it be effective against ICBMs, intercontinental ballistic missiles?

THAAD系统究竟是如何工作的，以及它是如何有效的对抗洲际弹道导弹呢?

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense or THAAD is a missile defense system. It uses missile to stop missiles.

And the U.S. has deployed the first components of a THAAD system to South Korea. Why? Because North Korea, which is a rival of both the South and the U.S., has been test-launching missiles of its own lately and the THAAD system could potentially be used in self-defense.

In a clear example of how tensions have been rising in the Korean Peninsula and abroad, China is getting involved in this. It`s North Korea`s only real ally in the world and it`s telling North Korea to suspend its nuclear weapons program which other countries consider illegal. The Chinese officials are also strongly opposed to the U.S. sending a THAAD system to South Korea. They believe it could be used to monitor potential missile launches from China as well.

How exactly does a THAAD system work and could it be effective against ICBMs, intercontinental ballistic missiles?