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When you cast an offensive spell such as fireball, does your invisibility break when you start casting (so it can be interrupted with readied actions) or after you finish casting it?
In general, invisibility breaks after you take an offensive action.
Invisibility does not break until you take offensive action.
In your example, casting Fireball is not an offensive action.
Attacking opponents with a Fireball is an offensive action.
The invisibility does not break until an opponent is attacked.
Invisibility drops when you attack an enemy, which only happens when you actually hit people with it (i.e. you only lose invisibility when saves are made and damage is rolled), so you would get your spell off before anyone has a chance to interrupt you while you are visible again.
To add to that you select the targets of a spell upon the completion of casting not before or during. So creatures are not actualy being targeted until the spell is completed
Target or Targets: Some spells have a target or targets. You cast these spells on creatures or objects, as defined by the spell itself. You must be able to see or touch the target, and you must specifically choose that target. You do not have to select your target until you finish casting the spell.
In your example, casting Fireball is not an offensive action.
Attacking opponents with a Fireball is an offensive action.
That's a good point. As per the rules text:
The spell ends if the subject attacks any creature. For purposes of this spell, an attack includes any spell targeting a foe or whose area of effect includes a foe. Exactly who is a foe depends on the invisible character's perceptions. Actions directed at unattended objects do not break the spell.
So casting a fireball on an ally who happens to be healed by fire magic (such as a brass golem) would not break [i]invisibility[/url]. Casting a fireball on a section of the jungle to clear a path of vines would not break invisibility.