I think there is a lot of leeway in allowing use of military force without a formal Declaration of War, as even our founders used force in at least three actions before the first true War.
But I do think that since the 50s the cowardice of Congress has led us to this point.
I wish there had been a Declaration of War against Iraq, we certainly had the Casus Belli all lined up for it.
But we didn’t, and it will go down as another military action without a Declaration of War.
“even our founders used force in at least three actions before the first true War”
No one ever said the founders didn’t turn their backs on the Constitution as soon as they could. Or some of them, at least.