Warplanes have carried out fresh air strikes on Aleppo, hours after Syria's government announced an offensive to retake rebel-held areas of the city.
At least 27 people have been killed in the strikes, monitors say, although other reports put the death toll higher. One rescue worker described what happened as "annihilation".
The government has urged people to avoid positions held by rebels.
US-Russian talks to revive a collapsed truce have broken up without progress.
Activists said both Syrian and Russian warplanes were taking part in the offensive, though Russia has not confirmed its involvement.
Russia supports the Syrian government, while the US backs the opposition. The two powers accuse each other of failing to rein in their respective allies on the ground.
The White Helmets, a Syrian volunteer rescue group, says dozens of air strikes were carried out in Aleppo on Friday morning.
The group says the centres set up to help victims of bombardments were being targeted, and three out of four had been put out of action.
One White Helmet volunteer reported air strikes as he carried out an interview with the BBC World Service.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said at least 27 civilians, including three children, were killed and dozens more wounded in the latest air strikes.
Bitterness on all sides - BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus
Russian and Syrian commanders - always sceptical about the merits of the ceasefire - now appear to have been given a green light to sort out the Aleppo problem once and for all.
Imagery of the shattered city presents a gaunt vista in which thousands of innocent people remain trapped on both sides. Targeted attacks by government forces against medical and civil defence facilities add another element of horror to the situation.
The fact that this new onslaught is taking place against a backdrop of the total failure in the US and Russian brokered efforts to implement a ceasefire in Syria is also significant. In the wake of this failure there is a good degree of bitterness on all sides.
This provides space for the stepping up of military action on the ground. Indeed the pause may well have enabled government forces to reposition in key areas and to improve intelligence gathering.
The government has urged people to avoid positions held by rebels.
US-Russian talks to revive a collapsed truce have broken up without progress.
Activists said both Syrian and Russian warplanes were taking part in the offensive, though Russia has not confirmed its involvement.
Russia supports the Syrian government, while the US backs the opposition. The two powers accuse each other of failing to rein in their respective allies on the ground.
The White Helmets, a Syrian volunteer rescue group, says dozens of air strikes were carried out in Aleppo on Friday morning.
The group says the centres set up to help victims of bombardments were being targeted, and three out of four had been put out of action.
One White Helmet volunteer reported air strikes as he carried out an interview with the BBC World Service.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said at least 27 civilians, including three children, were killed and dozens more wounded in the latest air strikes.
Bitterness on all sides - BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus
Russian and Syrian commanders - always sceptical about the merits of the ceasefire - now appear to have been given a green light to sort out the Aleppo problem once and for all.
Imagery of the shattered city presents a gaunt vista in which thousands of innocent people remain trapped on both sides. Targeted attacks by government forces against medical and civil defence facilities add another element of horror to the situation.
The fact that this new onslaught is taking place against a backdrop of the total failure in the US and Russian brokered efforts to implement a ceasefire in Syria is also significant. In the wake of this failure there is a good degree of bitterness on all sides.
This provides space for the stepping up of military action on the ground. Indeed the pause may well have enabled government forces to reposition in key areas and to improve intelligence gathering.
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