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The Libyan government, backed by the UN, said 21 people had been killed and 27 wounded in fighting near the capital, Tripoli.
Earlier, the UN had called for a two-hour truce so that victims and civilians could be evacuated, but fighting was continuing.
The rebel forces of General Khalifa Haftar advanced from the east in order to take Tripoli.
Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj accuses him of attempting a coup and says the rebels will face force.
Among the dead was a Red Crescent doctor killed on Saturday. General Haftar's forces claimed to have lost 14 fighters.
International powers have begun evacuating Libyan personnel because of the deteriorating security situation.
Libya has been torn apart by violence and political instability since longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi was deposed and killed in 2011.
What is the situation on the ground?
Libyan National Army (LNA) forces of General Haftar have launched an attack on several fronts since the south and west of the city since Thursday.
The UN said its call for a humanitarian truce had been ignored and the emergency services said they had not been able to enter areas where the fighting was going on.
However, a UN spokesman told AFP that he "was still waiting for a positive response."
On Sunday, the LNA announced that it had conducted its first air strike, a day after the UN – backed National Accord Government (GNA) struck it Saturday with a air strikes.
Fighting continued around the disused international airport south of the capital, which General Haftar had previously declared his forces had seized.
The forces loyal to the NLG have slowed down in advance and a spokesman for the GNA told Al-Jazeera television on Sunday that the GNA now had the intention of "cleaning up" the entire country.
What evacuations have already taken place?
The United States Command for Africa, responsible for military operations and liaison between the United States in Africa, said that because of "increased unrest," he had temporarily displaced a contingent of American forces, without, however, giving more details of the number.
It has been reported that a fast amphibious craft was used in the operation.
Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said his full contingent of 15 Central Reserve police had been evacuated from Tripoli because "the situation in Libya has suddenly worsened".
Eni, the Italian multinational oil and gas company, has decided to evacuate all of its Italian staff from the country.
The UN must also remove non-essential personnel.
Residents of Tripoli reportedly began to stock up on food and fuel. Sebastian Usher, BBC's editor-in-chief for Arab affairs, said that a large number of people close to the fighting were staying at home for the time being, lest they be looted if they were to leave.
Some fear a long operation organized by General Haftar to take the city of Benghazi, east of Islamist fighters.
Who are the opposing forces?
Libya has been troubled since the overthrow of Colonel Gaddafi. Dozens of militias operate in the country.
Recently, they allied themselves with the UN-backed UN-based Tripoli-based GNA, General Haftar's LNA, a fierce anti-Islamist backed by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, and strong in the east. Libya.
Gen Haftar helped Colonel Gaddafi seize power in 1969 before muddling with him and exiling himself into the United States. He returned in 2011 after the start of the uprising against Gaddafi and became a rebel commander.
The union government was created during negotiations in 2015 but has struggled to badert its national control.
Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj on Saturday made a speech on television claiming that he would defend the capital.
Mr. Serraj said that he had offered concessions to General Haftar to avoid bloodshed, but only to be "stabbed in the back".
Are peace talks planned?
UN-backed talks to develop a road map for new elections are scheduled for April 14-16 in the Libyan town of Ghadames.
UN envoy Ghbadan Salame insisted talks would continue unless serious obstacles prevent it, saying "we will not give up this political work quickly ".
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was in Tripoli last Thursday to discuss the situation.
But General Haftar said his troops would not stop until they defeated "terrorism".
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