Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed the military would maintain its bombardment of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon indefinitely, undermining efforts by the U.S. and allies to secure a cease-fire that would ease the risk of a regional war.

Airstrikes will continue until all of Israel’s objectives have been achieved, the prime minister said Thursday on arrival in New York to address the annual United Nations General Assembly.

The most pressing of those goals is the return of Israel’s northern residents to their homes, he said, and that’s likely to be achieved only if Hezbollah is persuaded to stop firing cross-border missiles.