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Based on ""50 AI Agents Running My Company" Is a Lie. Here's How I Build It | Gumloop, Max Brodeur-Urbas" from EO Watch the original video

The AI Illusion: Why '50 Agents Running My Company' is a Myth – And How Real Automation is Built

In the glittering landscape of modern entrepreneurship, a pervasive myth has taken root: the idea that success, especially with AI, can be achieved with a single click, an effortless side hustle generating millions. Social media abounds with gurus promising "50 AI agents running my company" or a "suite of AI that tells me what to do every day," all while working a mere "one hour a week." Max Brodeur-Urbas, the founder and CEO of Gumloop, calls this out for what it is: "marketing," a "lie," and a dangerous "anti-pattern."

"They're selling hope really easily," Max asserts, "this vision of skipping the hard work, shortcutting directly to the value, which will never happen." While these "course bros" might print money selling the dream, Max and his team at Gumloop are building a different reality. Their platform automates over 4 million workflows daily for giants like Instacart, Shopify, DoorDash, and Gusto, empowering marketers, salespeople, and operations personnel to automate their own work without needing an engineering team. This is not about replacing humans with AI; it's about amplifying human potential.

From Big Tech Disillusionment to Forced Entrepreneurship

Max's journey to building Gumloop is far from the "effortless" narrative peddled online. A software engineering graduate from McGill, he initially chased the perceived stability of Big Tech. "My goal all throughout college was just get a good job," he recalls, "I wanted to work in big tech 'cause I thought that would be the right path to follow." But the reality of Microsoft quickly revealed a profound disillusionment.

"I hated it," he states plainly. The common advice to learn at a big company before striking out on your own is, in his view, "kind of cope." Many end up in "golden handcuffs," never leaving. Max found little transferable knowledge from his Big Tech stint to his startup, save for a "default respect" that a corporate logo might confer. Instead, his entrepreneurial drive was fueled by a desire to do the exact opposite of what he experienced. He saw the "really, really important years" of one's early twenties being "wasted" in a 9-to-5 grind. "If we're going to do it, why don't we just do it now?" he thought.

The decisive push, however, came from an unexpected and dramatic turn of events: deportation. After quitting Microsoft and moving back to Vancouver to build things in his bedroom, a weekend trip to Seattle to visit old roommates resulted in a U.S. border official deeming him suspicious. Despite his intent for a two-day stay, he was turned around and slapped with a five-year ban from the country. "That was kind of the moment where I realized I had to build a company because I had no fallback plan," Max recounts, describing the terror and shock that quickly morphed into intense focus.

The Grind: Hunting to Prove Yourself Wrong

For the next six months, Max worked relentlessly, throwing himself into "the ether" of experimentation. He built numerous MVPs: video game moderation software in VR, general trust and safety tooling, bot detection software, an anti-cam platform. He would build, try to sell, and learn from the market's response – often negative.

"Over and over I tried that, kind of like once a week," he explains. This rapid iteration taught him a counterintuitive but vital startup lesson: "You're actually chasing proving yourself wrong." In the beginning, he wasted months hoping someone would validate his ideas. He quickly realized the opposite was true: "You should actually be hunting for someone to tell you why this won't work." If you can't find a strong reason why an idea won't work, then you might be onto something. "I don't think I would have ended up building Gumloop if I didn't fail 10 times before that," he admits.

This relentless pursuit of feedback extended to users, a privilege he believes founders must earn. Early on, it means "begging people to try your product." But the most valuable feedback, even if it's "your product sucks" or "it's not solving my problem," must be put at the forefront.

The "Aha!" Moment: From Agents to Automation

Gumloop's origin story is deeply rooted in Max's keen observation of the early AI hype cycle. He saw AutoGPT, a popular open-source agent framework, take Twitter by storm. It promised AI's ability to act "agentically" and solve problems autonomously. Max, intrigued, joined its rapidly growing Discord server.

What he found was a community of enthusiastic users, many of whom were struggling with basic technical concepts: "What is GitHub? How do I use a terminal? How do I install something locally?" Max saw a simple problem to solve: build a user-friendly UI to simplify the setup. This became AgentHub, an early precursor to Gumloop.

His initial thought was to create "GitHub for agents," a platform to host and interact with these autonomous AI entities. However, the "aha! moment" arrived swiftly: "That idea kind of crumbled after a few days when I realized the agents weren't useful." People wanted to use the platform, but they were frustrated by the agents' unreliability.

Max realized what users were secretly asking for was "reliability, predictability." Their use cases were simple, not agentic. This insight led him to build a framework for automating steps sequentially, which "naturally grew into this crazy automation platform." Initially built for developers, the real traction came from an unexpected audience: "non-technical business admins... ops people or HR people who were just enthused about the idea of AI actually solving a problem for them." This realization shifted Gumloop's focus to building an approachable, fun-to-use platform for the everyday business user.

YC, Focus, and the Power of Building Something Great

Gumloop's journey continued through Y Combinator, a period Max spent "stuck in Canada" due to his ban. This geographic isolation, however, proved to be an advantage. "I had all of the pressure of needing to build something amazing... but I didn't have any of the distractions." He coded intensely in his small Vancouver apartment, shunning networking events and parties.

This focus became a core tenet: "The people who are actually building something amazing are not at those events." The lesson extends to fundraising: "If you build something exceptional, they will actually come to you... You just have to show them that you'll succeed without them."

The first paying customer, a user named Kai, paying $20 a month, was a monumental victory. "We freaked out. It was like the greatest moment ever," Max recalls, a testament to the profound satisfaction of genuine value creation, however small.

The True AI Advantage: Understanding, Then Accelerating

Max circles back to his initial critique of AI hype, clarifying Gumloop's philosophy. "It's important to know what you should be using AI for and what you shouldn't." The goal isn't to replace entire jobs but to be "super AI-enabled," automating repetitive tasks while keeping the human touch in critical areas.

The "slippery slope" comes when people use AI to shortcut understanding. "If you're using AI to do something you don't actually understand at all, often times you're creating just uncertainty," he warns, likening "vibe coding" (using AI to code without understanding) to "making malware."

Max believes AI should accelerate what you already understand, allowing you to "do it way faster so I can learn more things and like grow as a person." He foresees a growing divide: those who use AI as a learning tool to deepen their understanding, becoming "exceptional even faster," and those who "skip the understanding part and just accelerate with AI," ultimately falling "to the slop."

Building a Team of True Believers

Gumloop's hiring strategy is as unconventional as its founder's journey. Rather than traditional recruitment, many of their key hires were once customers. "Our customer from Instacart quit his job and joined us. Our customer from Webflow quit his job and joined us. Someone from Shopify quit their job and joined us," Max proudly states.

These individuals already possess "conviction." They loved the platform so much they chose to join the mission. "It's a really fun way to hire because the only thing you really have as a startup is the optimism in general," he explains. This approach fosters a culture where everyone is "equally excited about the mission" and loves what they're doing, without rigid hours or forced late nights. Max's co-founder joined after seeing an early working demo, proving that "you have to build something exceptional" to attract the best talent.

The Founder's Blind Confidence

Ultimately, Max emphasizes that building a successful company isn't about perfectly strategizing every "moat" or fearing big competitors like Zapier or OpenAI. "The people who are like really asking themselves that and obsessing over those questions will never build anything," he contends.

Instead, it requires a "blind confidence," a belief that "you can do it." It's about taking risks, trying things, proving others wrong, and when it doesn't work, trying again. "I could have on day one explained to myself a hundred reasons why Zapier would do this better than us or why OpenAI and all these big players would crush us," he reflects. But if he had, Gumloop wouldn't exist.

The story of Gumloop is a powerful counter-narrative to the effortless AI dream. It's a testament to the grit, iterative failure, user-centric focus, and deep understanding required to build something truly valuable. In a world saturated with quick fixes, Max Brodeur-Urbas reminds us that real innovation, even with the most advanced technologies like AI, still demands the oldest and most reliable ingredient: hard work.

Based on "From journalist to app developer using Claude Code" from How I AI Watch the original video

From Newsroom to Code: How a Journalist Built iOS Apps with AI's Dueling Dev Team

In an era where artificial intelligence promises to reshape industries, few stories capture the essence of this transformation quite like Dan Roth's. A veteran journalist and editor, known for shaping narratives at publications like Fortune, Wired, Forbes, and most recently LinkedIn, Roth has unexpectedly carved out a new identity: an iOS app developer. Without a formal background in software engineering, he's building and shipping production-grade apps to the App Store, all thanks to a meticulously orchestrated team of AI agents he affectionately calls "Bob" and "Ray."

Roth's journey isn't just a testament to the power of generative AI; it's a fascinating look at how a non-technical professional can become a "vibe coder," guiding complex development processes with a uniquely human touch.

The Echo of Disruption: From Blogs to Bots

Dan Roth is no stranger to technological upheaval. He recalls being at Fortune during the advent of blogging, a moment that democratized publishing and challenged the traditional gatekeepers of information. "All of a sudden, everyone had access to something that I thought was something that was unique to writers," he explains. "WordPress came around and Tumblr, and suddenly everyone could talk to everyone, and you discovered this explosion of ideas." While initially scary, he realized the embrace of more ideas was ultimately better.

This historical parallel provided Roth with a crucial lens when generative AI began making inroads into coding. "When generative AI started making its way into coding and it became clear that any of us could build anything, I had the exact same idea," he recounts. But this time, he was on the opposite side of the fence. Instead of influencing what got built by pitching ideas to engineers and product managers, he could now build them himself.

What started as an idea quickly spiraled into an obsession. "It has become an obsession of mine of building to the point now where when I'm with friends and family, they're like, 'Please stop talking about the stuff that you're building,'" Roth jokes. Weekends, for him, are now dedicated to iterating on his apps, a passion that has transformed his relationship with technology.

Meet the AI Dream Team: Bob the Builder and Ray the Reviewer

Roth's secret sauce for building high-quality, production-grade software lies in his innovative use of two distinct AI agents, both powered by Claude Code, operating in separate terminal tabs. He's given them clear roles, instructions, and even names: Bob and Ray.

Bob the Builder is the primary development agent. His instructions are precise:

Ray the Reviewer serves as the senior software engineer, with a keen focus on security and architectural integrity. Ray's persona is designed to be rigorous and critical:

And then there's the third agent: Dan Roth himself. His role is unique: "I am the person who breaks the tie that often happens between Bob wanting to do something and Ray saying you can't do it." He acts as the ultimate manager, guiding the AI duo through conflicts and making final decisions.

This "dueling agents" setup is a revelation. Unlike simply prompting a single AI, Roth's system mimics a real-world development team. A builder proposes, a reviewer scrutinizes, and a human manager arbitrates. This friction, Roth notes, is not just for efficiency, but for learning. "I'm not doing this just to build. I'm doing this to learn," he explains, highlighting how observing Ray's objections helps him understand the intricacies of secure and robust code.

The "Picky Customer": Dan Roth's Unique Role in Development

When asked to define his role in this AI-driven development process, Roth eschews traditional labels like "Product Manager" or "Architect." He once considered himself a "mediocre PM" or an "architect," but quickly realized those roles demand a depth of technical or strategic knowledge he doesn't claim.

Instead, Roth embraces the title of "picky customer" or "vibe coder." "All I am is a really picky customer," he states. "I think that is like the role of the vibe coder is what do I care about deeply?" He illustrates this with an analogy: "I'm like walking through this house and I'm telling the architect, 'No, I want this room blue. I know you don't think it's a good idea. I'm telling you this is what I want.'"

This perspective allows him to focus on the user experience, the product's voice, and core functionality from a deeply personal standpoint. For example, in one of his apps, a podcast clipping tool, he insisted on a humorous, encouraging message when a clip was being created, rather than a generic "Your video is being created." This personal touch, driven by his "picky customer" persona, infuses the app with personality.

Commutely: A Case Study in Personalized Software

Roth's flagship app, Commutely, perfectly embodies his "picky customer" philosophy. "I keep missing the train," he explains, "I'm gonna build an app that is just for me that is basically like, 'Is the train almost here? Can I walk or do I have to run?'" This intensely personal problem-solving led to "perfect product market fit because I was the entire product."

Commutely, designed for New York City subway riders, relies on iOS Live Activity to show real-time train updates on the lock screen. It's a simple yet powerful solution born from personal frustration. As other riders discovered it, Commutely found its community, and with it, a stream of feature requests.

Roth manages these requests using another Claude chat, which he feeds ideas. This "Commutely feature idea and tracker" chat is prompted to rank ideas by estimated build time and potential impact on customer happiness and growth. On weekends, he consults this ranked list, picks a manageable feature, and initiates the Bob-and-Ray workflow.

For instance, Roth wanted to improve the discovery of a "scheduled automatic updates" feature. He'd already worked with Claude to develop a "retention plan," saved as a markdown file. He then hands this plan to Bob, who drafts an implementation strategy. This plan is then meticulously reviewed by Ray for security and architectural soundness. Once Ray gives the "green light" (or suggests modifications), Bob proceeds to generate the code.

Mastering the AI-Powered Development Workflow

Roth's workflow is rich with practical tips for anyone looking to leverage AI in development:

  1. Log Everything in Markdown: To combat AI's "context window" limitations and his own weekend-only memory, Roth saves all interactions, plans, and code snippets in markdown files. This ensures continuous context for both him and his AI agents.
  2. Separate Agents, Separate Tabs: Running Bob and Ray in distinct Claude tabs provides transparency. When Bob needs Ray's approval, Roth copies Bob's output into Ray's tab. This manual step, though seemingly inefficient, is intentional. "Putting a little bit of friction in the process where you're actually forced to like copy and paste, put it over, read what Ray says... does help with learning," he notes.
  3. Plan, Module, Branch: Bob is strictly instructed to plan thoroughly, build in reusable modules, and always work in separate code branches. Roth learned the hard way about the perils of merging directly to the main codebase.
  4. Managing the "Hungover Intern": Roth humorously describes managing AI as "almost like managing a really smart but hung over intern." AI is brilliant but forgetful, often suggesting solutions that contradict previously learned limitations (e.g., Live Activity constraints). This requires constant reminders and a managerial mindset.
  5. Navigating the App Store: The greatest remaining friction, Roth finds, is the Apple App Store submission process. He even envisions an AI tool specifically for App Store designs and metadata, simplifying what he calls "almost the last friction left in being a builder."

Beyond Coding: AI as a Daily Productivity Co-pilot

Roth's AI integration isn't limited to his weekend app development. As an editor running a 400-person team, he relies on Copilot (with access to his work files and team communications) for daily productivity and context switching.

His favorite daily prompt, executed before he leaves work, is "What did I drop the ball on?" "It's going to go through Outlook. It's going to go through Teams. It's going to go through any updated files," he explains. Copilot identifies unresponded emails, unaddressed team messages, or neglected projects he's been following. This "evening nightly nudge" allows him to wrap up loose ends, ensuring he starts the next day with a clean slate. "This is my savior," he declares, "This is like what I count on AI to be able to do to make me better at my job so that I can spend the weekends building money losing apps like Commutely."

The Human-AI Partnership: Assuming Best Intentions

Roth has a distinct philosophy for interacting with AI. He avoids "please" or "thank you," opting for direct, straightforward commands. This, he says, is his way of "fighting until we get to that point" where AGI might run the show, a subtle act of "holding on to my humanity."

When AI isn't delivering, his tactic is akin to parenting. "I usually spend a lot of time saying, 'we've gone over this already. You've talked about this. Go search your memory to go find the time where we've done this.'" He operates on the principle of "assume best intentions," a lesson learned from working in tech companies. "I assume the AI has best intentions but has to be reminded about how we work. So I don't yell. I'm pretty clear and I try to give it a little bit of grace."

Dan Roth's journey from journalist to AI-powered app developer is more than a personal anecdote; it's a blueprint for the future of work. It demonstrates that with the right approach, a clear vision, and a little help from intelligent agents, anyone can become a builder, transforming personal ideas into tangible products and redefining what it means to create in the age of AI.

To follow Dan Roth's insights and learn more about his AI-powered building journey, you can find him on LinkedIn (Daniel Roth) and subscribe to his newsletter, "Forward Deployed Editor," which chronicles his learnings and missteps in the world of AI development for non-technical individuals.

Based on "A War Within the War: Israel’s Bombardment of Lebanon" from New York Times Podcasts Watch the original video

Beirut on Edge: Inside the Escalating War That Threatens to Reshape Lebanon

As Israeli strikes pummel the country, displacing millions and challenging Hezbollah's decades-long dominance, fears of a full-scale ground invasion loom, transforming a regional conflict into a profound national crisis.

From the bustling streets of Beirut, an acrid smell now hangs heavy in the air, a constant reminder of the relentless Israeli airstrikes that have pounded southern Lebanon and parts of the capital. Above, the loud, incessant buzzing of Israeli drones has become a near-constant soundtrack to daily life. For the people of Lebanon, what began as a ripple from the broader U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran has rapidly escalated into a terrifying "war within a war," threatening to drag the country into its most devastating conflict in decades.

"I carried the children quickly and we left towards the airport road," recounted one man, describing the chaotic exodus from his home. "People were like ants, like judgment day. It was like judgment day." He, his wife, and four young children joined nearly a million others fleeing to what they hoped was safer ground, many spending nights on the streets, watching the distant glow of strikes.

This isn't just another flare-up between long-standing adversaries. As Christina Goldbomb, the New York Times' Beirut Bureau Chief, explains, the scale, rhetoric, and potential outcomes of this conflict are unprecedented, suggesting a fundamental shift in Israel's objectives and a harrowing new chapter for Lebanon.

A City Transformed: The Ground Reality

Over the past two weeks, Beirut has presented a stark dichotomy. In some areas, life continues with an unsettling normalcy, buildings intact, untouched by the conflict. Yet, in other parts, particularly the southern suburbs (known as the Dahiyeh), the devastation is palpable. These Hezbollah strongholds have been "completely cratered" by Israeli bombardment. Mass displacement has turned parking lots, seaside cornices, sidewalks, and parks into makeshift tent cities fashioned from tarps and gray blankets, as government shelters in schools are quickly overwhelmed.

The conflict's geographical spread is particularly alarming. Initially focused on southern Lebanon, Israeli strikes have expanded deep into central Beirut, targeting buildings and cars. Evacuation orders, once reserved for the south, are now being issued for central Beirut structures, with residents witnessing scenes of chaos as people rush to escape before strikes hit.

The human toll is already immense. With over a million people displaced in a nation of just 5.8 million, and more than 800 fatalities from Israeli strikes, a profound sense of dread has settled over the country. Lebanon, still reeling from past conflicts and internal crises, now grapples with the grim reality of being "dragged into another major war" for the second time in less than two years.

Beyond Retaliation: A Deeper Israeli Objective

What makes this campaign different from previous clashes, even those as recent as 2024? The answer lies in the escalating rhetoric from Israeli officials and the palpable fear of a major ground invasion—a scenario Lebanon hasn't witnessed since the 1980s. A "massive buildup of troops on the Israeli side of the border" fuels these anxieties.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's statements have sent shivers down Lebanese spines. He reportedly compared the southern suburbs of Beirut to Khan Younis, the Gazan city largely destroyed by Israeli operations, explicitly stating that Dahiyeh would "soon look like that." Gallant also declared that if the Lebanese government failed to prevent Hezbollah from attacking Israel, Israel would "take it upon itself to do so in Lebanese territory." This isn't just about deterrence; it's a clear signal of an intent to fundamentally alter the security landscape.

Compounding these fears are the sweeping evacuation orders issued for all of Beirut's southern suburbs and a vast swath of southern Lebanon, extending up to 25 miles from the border—a measure not seen in the 2024 conflict. This expansion of the operational zone and the severity of the warnings suggest a more ambitious, and potentially more destructive, Israeli objective.

Hezbollah: A State Within a State and Israel's Enduring Foe

The immediate trigger for this escalation was Hezbollah's decision to fire missiles at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Ayatollah Ali, an Iranian leader. Israel, in turn, struck back, seeing this as an "opportunity to do what they have wanted to do for so long, which is for once and for all take out Hezbollah."

To understand the complexity of this goal, one must grasp Hezbollah's deep roots in Lebanese society. Formed in the 1980s during Lebanon's civil war and Israel's occupation of the south, Hezbollah emerged as a Shiite militant and political movement, dedicated to "resisting Israeli presence." Backed by Iran, it gained immense prestige after Israel's withdrawal in 2000, seen as a major victory.

Since then, Hezbollah has evolved into a formidable political party, holding seats in parliament and running a vast network of social services—schools, hospitals, and employment—that serve its supporters, primarily within the Shiite community (roughly a third of Lebanon's population). This "state within a state" holds a "chokehold" on the Lebanese government, making political decisions impossible without its support. Its flags, merchandise, and visible presence, particularly in the south, underscore its deep embedding in the population. As one anecdote suggests, in a Hezbollah neighborhood, "those are the folks that are more likely to help" if your car breaks down.

While many believed Hezbollah had been severely weakened after the 2023-2024 conflicts—which saw intense Israeli bombardment, the "pager incident," and the killing of its longtime leader, Hassan Nusella—the current war reveals a different truth. Despite the narrative of a battered group, Hezbollah has demonstrated a surprising resilience. Evidence suggests it has been manufacturing and locally assembling arms to replenish its stockpiles. Furthermore, members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have reportedly entered the country to bolster Hezbollah's ranks and take greater control of its military operations. The killing of at least two Israeli soldiers and injury of over a dozen others in the current conflict serves as stark proof of its enduring capability. It appears Hezbollah used the perceived "ceasefire" of the past year not to retreat, but to "rebuild and prepare for this major conflict."

A Tested Loyalty: Lebanese Weariness and Questioning

Perhaps the most surprising development in this conflict is the nascent but growing weariness within Hezbollah's traditional support base. For decades, a "fervent ideological zeal" to resist Israel "at any cost" has defined this community. However, the current war, following so closely on the heels of the 2023-2024 conflict, is testing that commitment like never before.

The vast majority of the displaced are from areas sympathetic to Hezbollah, meaning its own supporters are shouldering the immense burden of these repeated wars. "The one thing that they keep telling me is how exhausted they are," Goldbomb reports. "They're tired of evacuating from their homes. They're tired of living in shelters. They're tired of their towns and villages, especially in the south, being flattened by air strikes. They're tired of rebuilding homes only to now worry that they're going to get demolished again."

This profound exhaustion is leading to a "very new feeling": people are beginning to question Hezbollah's actions. In one shelter, a nurse displaced from Natia, a southern city, openly debated with her family whether Hezbollah remained their "main defender." While Israeli forces moved into the south, the Lebanese army was "pretty much nowhere to be found." Yet, they also questioned whether Hezbollah, by dragging the country into war twice in two years, was truly defending the Shiite community, and whether the "cost the Shia community is bearing is worth it." The most poignant question is why Hezbollah chose to fire on Israel in response to the killing of a foreign leader (Ayatollah Ali), but not over the past year when Lebanese citizens were killed in Israeli airstrikes. This questioning marks a significant shift in a community long defined by its unwavering support.

Lebanon's Crippled State and the Shifting Sands of U.S. Policy

The Lebanese government finds itself in an impossible bind. It is "dysfunctional," its military weak, underpaid, and outmatched by Hezbollah. While a "sea change" after the 2024 ceasefire saw the government agree to begin disarming Hezbollah, the challenges are immense. Any decisive move against Hezbollah risks a clash between Lebanese soldiers and Hezbollah fighters, a "recipe for civil war."

Historically, the United States has often acted as a tempering influence on Israel's actions in Lebanon, fearing regional destabilization. However, this appears to be changing. The U.S. has "essentially allowed Israel to carry out this bombardment of Lebanon" and is now exerting "immense pressure on the Lebanese government to act more decisively to disarm Hezbollah," even to declare it a terrorist group. This is despite concerns from Lebanese officials that such actions could be profoundly destabilizing. The "check" that the U.S. once provided on Israeli actions in Lebanon "seems to have disappeared or dissipated," at least for now.

The Grim Prospect of a "New Reality"

Israel's stated goal is to "completely eliminate the threat from Hezbollah," a decades-long ambition that has so far proven elusive. But the massive Israeli military buildup along the border suggests a more immediate and potentially achievable objective: a "massive Israeli ground invasion of southern Lebanon" to create a "new much larger buffer zone" or even a re-occupation of territory. For Prime Minister Netanyahu, such an outcome could be a significant political win, even if Hezbollah isn't entirely "ousted." However, for Lebanon, it would mean a repeat of history, igniting memories of the civil war and past occupations, and causing even more mass displacement.

The future of this conflict, deeply intertwined with the wider war involving Iran, appears grim. Hezbollah aims to inflict maximum casualties on Israeli forces to raise the political cost of continued engagement. Yet, there is a growing fear in Lebanon that this war will "last much longer than the Iranian war," with Israel turning its full military might towards Lebanon once the Iranian front subsides.

Eerie similarities to the conflict in Gaza are emerging. Sweeping evacuation orders for southern Lebanon mirror those in Gaza. Israeli warplanes have dropped leaflets over central Beirut, calling on people to disarm Hezbollah and speaking of a "quote new reality in Lebanon." Israeli officials have also hinted that ambulances and civilian trucks, allegedly used by Hezbollah to move weaponry, "would no longer be off limits."

These parallels paint a chilling picture: Lebanon faces the prospect of a protracted, deadly conflict with potentially "much more permanent" aims from Israel. The "new reality" could mean "more clashes with Hezbollah, more displaced people, and more civilian casualties for years and years to come." For a nation already at its breaking point, the war within a war threatens to unleash an unparalleled catastrophe.