The renewed assault by government security forces comes in the wake of a failed effort by the Arab League, with Western backing, to pass a UN resolution to end the violence in Syria.
The resolution was thwarted in a 13-2 vote by opposition from China and Russia.
Activists said government forces were using helicopter gunships and rocket launchers in the Homs assault.
Explosions could be heard and smoke could be seen rising from some buildings in live television footage from Homs on Arab satellite channels.
The latest move on Homs comes after more than 200 people were reportedly killed in Homs on February 3 by tank and artillery shells.
Activists also said Zabadani, a town northwest of Damascus near the Lebanese border, had come under fire on February 6.
Meanwhile, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed that Syrian army defectors attacked a military post in province of Idlib, near the Syrian-Turkish border, killing three officers.
The Arab League’s draft UN plan called for Assad to step down and be replaced by his deputy until elections could be held.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the defeat of the draft Syria resolution at the hands of Beijing and Moscow “a travesty.” She accused China and Russia of protecting the “brutal regime in Damascus.”
Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin responded by saying the Chinese government is not sheltering the Syrian regime but wants to uphold justice.
Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby said on February 5 that Arab states would continue their efforts to help resolve the Syrian crisis, which has been blamed for well over 5,000 deaths since it began in March.
Compiled from agency reports
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