Lucy Williamson

Earlier this week, Israel said it was seizing control of Syrian territory in a demilitarized zone established in a ceasefire agreement 50 years ago. Hadar sits right on the edge of this buffer zone. Parts of the village even jut inside it. Hadar's village head, Jaulat al-Tawil, pointed out the Golan Heights beyond it. Syrian territory that Israel occupied in 1967 and later unilaterally annexed.

Earlier this week, Israel said it was seizing control of Syrian territory in a demilitarized zone established in a ceasefire agreement 50 years ago. Hadar sits right on the edge of this buffer zone. Parts of the village even jut inside it. Hadar's village head, Jaulat al-Tawil, pointed out the Golan Heights beyond it. Syrian territory that Israel occupied in 1967 and later unilaterally annexed.

Many residents in Hadar have Syrian relatives still living there. On Sunday, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to double the population of Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights, saying it was a response to what he called the new front in Syria. Some here worry that Israel wants to annex more Syrian land.

Many residents in Hadar have Syrian relatives still living there. On Sunday, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to double the population of Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights, saying it was a response to what he called the new front in Syria. Some here worry that Israel wants to annex more Syrian land.

Israel says its actions in Syria are motivated by the threat from jihadist groups and its incursions would be limited and temporary. There are now Israeli bulldozers working on the hill behind me. And we've also seen Israeli forces at the entrance to the village. The Iran-backed groups that Israel was fighting here have been weakened by the fall of Assad.

Israel says its actions in Syria are motivated by the threat from jihadist groups and its incursions would be limited and temporary. There are now Israeli bulldozers working on the hill behind me. And we've also seen Israeli forces at the entrance to the village. The Iran-backed groups that Israel was fighting here have been weakened by the fall of Assad.

Israel is taking advantage of this moment to extend its reach here and deal with new potential threats. A week after President Assad's regime fell, the sense of freedom is tinged with fatalism in Hadar.

Israel is taking advantage of this moment to extend its reach here and deal with new potential threats. A week after President Assad's regime fell, the sense of freedom is tinged with fatalism in Hadar.

Village head Jaulat Al-Tawil says dozens of men died defending the village from militia during Syria's war. His own son was killed by fighters from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Islamist militia that now runs Syria after sweeping President Bashar al-Assad from power. How does Mr Al-Tawil feel about HTS being in charge now?

Village head Jaulat Al-Tawil says dozens of men died defending the village from militia during Syria's war. His own son was killed by fighters from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Islamist militia that now runs Syria after sweeping President Bashar al-Assad from power. How does Mr Al-Tawil feel about HTS being in charge now?

Syria's new Islamist leader, Ahmad al-Shara, has warned that Israel's actions risk unnecessary escalation, saying his country's interim government is not looking for conflict. Syria's long-awaited freedom, already overshadowed by talk of war.

Syria's new Islamist leader, Ahmad al-Shara, has warned that Israel's actions risk unnecessary escalation, saying his country's interim government is not looking for conflict. Syria's long-awaited freedom, already overshadowed by talk of war.

Meze Military Air Base in Damascus was once a buffer between President Bashar al-Assad and rebel forces. Now the men who protected Assad have gone. The control room, scarred with bullet holes from their last stand. I just climbed to the top of the control tower. See across the whole airbase, deserted by President Assad's forces.

Meze Military Air Base in Damascus was once a buffer between President Bashar al-Assad and rebel forces. Now the men who protected Assad have gone. The control room, scarred with bullet holes from their last stand. I just climbed to the top of the control tower. See across the whole airbase, deserted by President Assad's forces.

His old shoes, bombed out planes, live ammunition scattered across it. Israel has been systematically destroying the military equipment left by the Assad regime, worried about who might end up using it. Russian-made aircraft, Israeli bombs, militia backed by Turkey, Iran, the US. This was never just Syria's war, and outside powers still have a stake here.

His old shoes, bombed out planes, live ammunition scattered across it. Israel has been systematically destroying the military equipment left by the Assad regime, worried about who might end up using it. Russian-made aircraft, Israeli bombs, militia backed by Turkey, Iran, the US. This was never just Syria's war, and outside powers still have a stake here.

On a roof inside the base, the new era is marked by a young fighter from the militia in charge here now, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, slashing at a portrait of Bashar al-Assad until it lies in tatters. Assad's fall has posed unanswered questions about Syria's future, but it's also left unanswered questions from the past.

On a roof inside the base, the new era is marked by a young fighter from the militia in charge here now, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, slashing at a portrait of Bashar al-Assad until it lies in tatters. Assad's fall has posed unanswered questions about Syria's future, but it's also left unanswered questions from the past.

The commander here, known as Abu Jarrah, shows us a prison complex where he says 400 women detainees were routinely raped by military intelligence. He takes us down to a room he says was used for torture and shows us a set of wires next to an electrical switchboard. Here they electrocuted prisoners, he tells me.

The commander here, known as Abu Jarrah, shows us a prison complex where he says 400 women detainees were routinely raped by military intelligence. He takes us down to a room he says was used for torture and shows us a set of wires next to an electrical switchboard. Here they electrocuted prisoners, he tells me.